Soul of My Soul
by shieldofiron
Summary: The Ministry enacts a marriage law in order to rebuild the wizarding world's decimated population, and Hermione and Draco are matched. They'll do anything to resist, but fate has bigger things in store. Lighthearted Dramione, Secondary Pairings HPGW, RWBZ, LLDT. My first story. Reviews always welcome!
1. Chapter 1: Hermione

Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is the property of J.K. Rowling. All of this is from my imagination only, and I am not profiting from these characters.

Summery: Five years after the war is over, the wizarding world looks to rebuild. The ministry passes a marriage law that threatens to upturn both Draco and Hermione's lives when it matches them together. Slightly non canon characters.

Chapter 1

_The screaming echoed across the forest like a thousand gunshots. Hermione's head throbbed as she threw curse after curse into the darkness. Enemies stretched on infinitely, their masks and robes bleeding into the hideous night, making even the ground beneath her tinged with their evil. She was exhausted but still she threw curse after curse into the air. Her magic was running out. Her time was running out._

Hermione woke to someone knocking loudly at her door, as she choked on her own screams. Light streamed in her window and filled the room. She was safe. The war was over. She repeated those two facts like a mantra. But somehow, she wasn't calming down.

She took a deep breath and wiped tears off of her face before heading to the front door of her cozy flat. It was her neighbor, Mrs. Connelly, smiling politely beneath a halo of wispy grey curls. Hermione opened the door immediately.

" Could you keep it down my dear, its eight in the morning," her neighbor didn't have a short temper, which meant that Hermione must have been screaming for hours before Mrs. Connelly had been bothered enough to make it across the hall.

" Of course, Mrs. Connelly, I am so sorry," Hermione wrung her hands and tried to calm her racing heart.

" When you started I half hoped some young man had caught your fancy," Mrs. Connelly winked.

Hermione blushed, " Oh, no, just bad dreams."

" You know what they say about bad dreams, my dear?"

" No, what?" Hermione took a calming breath and tried to stay present, but the dream was so vivid it was staying in her mind.

" They mean something good is just around the corner."

Hermione frowned, " That doesn't sound right."

Mrs. Connelly laughed and started down the stairs to her flat, " Feel better, dear."

"I'll try, Mrs. Connelly," Hermione called quietly, " Sorry, again."

Mrs. Connelly waved over her shoulder and shuffled down the stairs in her little house slippers. Hermione still had some time left before her alarm went off but since she was up there was no bother going back to bed again. She put on some sneakers that were by the door and went downstairs in her pajamas to grab the Daily Prophet.

It was a brisk fall day, a perfect sunday to spend indoors with a cranky crookshanks on her lap and a cup of hot tea. Maybe later she'd stop by the ministry to see if she had any office post. In fact, as assistant to the head of the office of magical education, she really should. But if anyone needed a break today, it was her. As she walked up the stairs she deliberated and settled on her breakfast and the book she would read on the couch. She was working too hard, not taking time for herself, and that's why the dreams were coming back with a vengeance. With this firmly in her mind, she resolved to not let the outside world interfere with her lovely sunday in.

She breezed into her flat and threw the paper down on the kitchen table before turning to brew a cup of her favorite mint tea. Then she turned back.

**MARRIAGE LAW PASSED BY MINISTRY THIS MORNING:**

**As our nation mourns it's losses, the ministry is taking a drastic step to ensure the magical population grows.**

Hermione sat down at her table numbly to read. She must have read the article ten times before she was able to process it. She took in a deep, shuddering breath, and reread the sentence that was ringing in her head like a fire alarm. No, echoing, like the screams in her dreams.

_In their official statement today, the ministry announced that "To ensure that no marriage that comes from this act is contested, people who report themselves as single will undergo the ancient and binding Maritare charm, which will provide peace of mind to all parties."_

Mrs. Connelly was wrong. Nothing good was coming around the corner. In fact, if this article was true, nothing good would ever happen again.

_The Maritare charm is an ancient and complicated piece of magic, for all that the incantation itself is fairly simple. It flows to the core of one's magic, the deepest well of where magic ability comes from, and taps into a person's inner essence._

" But that doesn't say what it does," Ginny whispered, her voice dripping with frustration.

" I promise, Gin, it's a soulmate charm," Hermione said, glancing around for Filch. It had been her idea to sneak into the restricted section after hours to find the incantation. After a day at hogsmeade together walking through the shops and having butterbeer after butterbeer, Ginny had finally shyly confessed to still carrying a torch for Harry. Hermione had been a little giddy from being let in on one of Ginny's secrets. Truthfully, though Ron and Harry were her very best friends, and she would never want to replace them, Hermione sometimes wished for more female friends. Ginny had her own friends, and she always seemed so glamorously at ease with people of either sex. Hermione couldn't even gather the courage to tell Ron she liked him.

" I mean I believe you, just…" Ginny looked doubtfully at the gleefully garish cover of _Mrs. Malek's Love Spells Old and New_.

"It's perfectly safe, I promise. It writes the name of your soulmate on your wand hand for a few moments is all. It'll just be a laugh," Hermione said reassuringly to the younger girl.

" So you've done this before, Mione?"

" No, but I've heard that some of the older girls did once. It's just a charm, I researched it. Isn't it fascinating, to think that your magic might be compatible with anothers in a deeply rooted way, sort of like a wand with a person. It's the most ancient magic there is," Hermione tamped down her enthusiasm as she watched Ginny grow just the tiniest bit bored with her academic interest in the charm. This was supposed to be a fun girly friend's thing, not a lecture.

" Well…" Ginny hesitated, but Hermione could see the gleam in her eye, " We'll do it together?"

Hermione giggled, "Of course." They glanced at the book's instructions before setting it on the floor and raising their wands.

" Ready?" Ginny whispered.

" When you are! One, two," Their eyes met.

They said it in unison, " _Maritare Aspiritus!"_

From both their wands came a weak, almost indistinguishable silverish glow. Hermione watched as the glow spread to her arm, her chest, all throughout her body. Magic rose to the surface of a strength she didn't know she possessed. In wonder, she watched as Ginny experienced the same. It was a heady, almost dizzy feeling, but warm and comforting: something that had been there all along. The charm faded until all that was left was a faint warmth in her hand. Ginny shoved her wand in the pocket of her pajama pants and looked at her hand.

" Oh, Hermione, look," Hermione smiled in triumph, as Harry's name (of course) was written in silvery handwriting on Ginny's palm.

" I wish it could be there forever!" Ginny whispered, " What does yours say?"

Hermione took her wand with her other hand. _Please let it be Ron_, she hoped silently.

She opened her palm and looked. That warm feeling that had been left by the spell came to an abrupt halt, replaced by cold dread.

_Draco Lucius Malfoy_

As if to stick the knife in, it was written in a handwriting that she recognized with revulsion as his. The same handwriting on all the nasty notes in potion and the bits of scrap parchment that he stuck in her hair when she was studying.

" No one I know," Hermione lied, trying to swallow the bile in her throat.

" Let me see," Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand before she could stop her: all those quidditch reflexes finally kicking in. When Ginny saw the name on her palm, all the blood drained from her face.

" Oh, Mione," She said quietly, " It's a quack spell anyway. I'm sure it's fake. I mean, whose handwriting is this anyway."

" Let me see yours," Hermione said. Ginny put up her now fading palm.

" I'd recognize Harry's writing anywhere, Gin. And _his_ too."

Needless to say, that had put a damper on the evening. The last thing Hermione could remember was walking to the dorm in near silence except for Ginny's harshly whispered, " Well it isn't as if you have to be with the prick, just because some silly charm says so." Hermione had agreed wholeheartedly, but the spell had thrown her off for months afterwards. Every time he glanced her way with that familiar sneer she'd had the queerest feeling in her stomach, the dizzy warmth mixed with pure revulsion. After a while though, she was too busy researching horcruxes to think of it, and what a blessed relief that had been, in a small way.


	2. Chapter 2: Draco

Chapter 2

Later That Day

Draco clenched and unclenched his fists in rapid succession. He'd come to the ministry as soon as he'd read the morning's news. But he'd forgotten that the Office for Marriage and Family was on the 145th floor, and now he'd be riding the elevator for about three hours. The ministry was for the most part closed, apart from a few "essential offices" who didn't have the day off. But for once it was mobbed. He counted at least thirteen other people in this elevator alone who he was sure were going down to the Office for Marriage and Family.

He wasn't exactly sure what he'd do when he got there, but definately something. Probably… yelling or something. Maybe sign a petition. Hell, he wasn't above a little bribery.

"Floor Twenty Three! Department of Magical Law Enforcement!"

Now if only these pencil pushers coming into the office on a Sunday would stop slowing the elevator down, he could be on his way.

All he could hope was that the Prophet had got it wrong, that somehow there was no way the ministry could pass such an invasive and impossible law.

"Floor Thirty Eight! Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects!"

He glanced over to his right, and saw a frightened-looking bloke being clung to by a pinched-face woman that had to be his girlfriend. _My brother in arms_, Draco thought.

Naturally there had to be a way out of this. The ministry had to be tough after the war, to prove that people could trust them. But this was taking it one step too far. Actually, about ninety steps too far. He'd paid dearly for the war, and it was only through the intervention of Harry Sodding Potter that Draco was able to walk as a free man. Was that humiliation not enough? Now the ministry had to heap one last terrible indignity on him.

" Floor One Hundred! Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects!"

Would this ride never cease? A jolly looking older wizard in violent violet robes exited and the elevator sped on. If one more person, wizard, elf, or even fucking pixie, slowed Draco down, he would hex them to oblivion. He was a man with a mission to end this nonsense.

"Floor One Hundred Forty Two! Offices for the Regulation of Magical Education!"

Of fucking course. Draco stared at the curly haired woman that had entered the elevator with daggers in his eyes.

"Floor One Hundred Forty Five! Office of the Registrar for Marriage and Family!"

He forgot his petty vendetta against the curly haired woman. He had bigger problems. The Office of Marriage and Family was in a state of pandemonium. People were crowded at the windows, where Petty Clerks handed out thick packets. Draco was almost pushed out of the elevator as people rushed into the fray.

He was shoved into a harried clerk carrying a huge stack of files.

"Excuse me, Sir."

"Wait!" He stopped the man, " I need to speak to someone."

The clerk gave him an amused look, " Oh, well you're the only one today."

" Do you know who I am?"

" Do you know who _I_ am? Get in line, sir. The packet on the new law will answer all your questions," The clerk clutched the stack of files to his chest to avoid being knocked over by a group of anxious looking witches, " After that you can make an appointment for your charm, and then you may speak to someone."

" I won't be put off with red tape," Draco lifted his chin and stared the man down. The clerk just rolled his eyes.

"Get in line, Mr. Malfoy."

The clerk pushed past him and briskly bowled right into the curly haired young woman who had come from the Department of Magical Education. She went flying, and landed face-down on the marble floor with a yelp.

Draco knelt down and offered her his hand. She placed a hand in his before looking up with a grateful smile. When their eyes met, the smile promptly disappeared. Of course it was Granger. He hadn't recognized her with her hair pulled back into a curly mop of a bun on top of her head. She was wearing an oversized sweater, leggings, and boots. Weekend clothes, if he had to guess, because the Granger he knew from school and sometimes glimpsed in the lobby of the ministry on his way into work was usually buttoned up to the nines. At first glance, she was a softer, more vulnerable woman. But as her smile disappeared, her guard went up and she turned right back into a Gryffindor lion.

"You!" She said accusingly, and tried to yank her hand from his.

He grinned at her, and held tightly, " Now, now, Granger, if you pull that hard I might go down on top of you. Unless that's what you were aiming for?"

She stayed stubbornly on the floor despite his pulling, her face beet red, " Your bony little ferret body? Not for all the galleons in gringotts."

"Oh, I believe I could arrange for that and more," He said smoothly, enjoying how her blush deepened. He coaxed her to her feet.

" I should have known that on the worst day of my life, I'd have to see your rat face."

" Well that's hardly your most inspired insult. And this is hardly the worst day of your life, Granger. I seem to recall wiping your blood and tears off my ballroom floor a few years ago."

Her eyes opened wide with shock and anger, "Never speak to me about that day ever again, You-"

But she was cut off when Draco almost had to slam into her to avoid being knocked down by a surly looking clerk the size of an ox who ran past. Draco looked down into her wide brown eyes and breathed half a breath of her scent, which was clean and feminine, like a floral soap.

She looked up at him with actual fear which reminded him of her ordeal under his aunt at Malfoy Manor. That had to be the worst day of his life, surely it was hers as well. He still remembered with absolute clarity his aunts cackling echoing through the ballroom along with Granger's bravely stifled screams. Afterwards, it was Draco who'd cleaned her up since the dark lord had taken away all their servants but, in Lucius's words, they couldn't have "dirty blood find it's way into their house." He'd mopped up on his hands and knees while she stared up at him with a depthless fear and hate. He'd recognize that face on her anywhere.

" What are you doing?" She said stiffly.

He stepped back swiftly, " I'm not going to hex you in the damn Department of Marriage and Family, Granger, relax. Just trying not to get trampled in this mess."

" It's going to take hours to speak to someone," She mumbled miserably.

" Well I'm going to get their idiotic packet, see what I'm up against," He said with a sneer, " No use going in like a Gryffindor today Granger. All the bravado in the world won't get you past these geeks. They've got files, and they know how to use them."

She almost laughed at that one, he could see a hint of it in her eyes, " I take it you're not happy about this imbecilic law."

" Who would be. All this tripe about 'soulmate spells'- they're just trying to distract us from the fact they're trying to breed us like animals," He sniffed, " People are still trying to put their lives back together after the war. It's only been five years."

" You're right, they should have just put out an official statement urging people to do their duty. But forcing the issue is just not right," Indignation dripped from her every word as she got in line. Just to rile her up, he got in line right behind her.

" Do my ears deceive me or did Hermione Granger just say I was right?"

" Well even someone as thick headed as you can see when the ministry makes such a colossal mistake. I'd hate to be the member of the wizengamot who pushed this legislation through. They'll be maimed," She looked down the line with a determined stare, almost daring the people in front of her to get in her way.

" Well I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind," He clenched his fists, " It's a violation of our freedoms is what it is. As if it wasn't enough that we had everything taken from us, now the ministry is going to take the choice of who we spend our life with?" The absolute absurdity of it all was making his blood boil.

Granger snorted, " What was taken from you, Malfoy? Your precious reputation?"

" Of course the golden girl war hero can scoff at reputation all she likes. But if you were in my place, you'd see the world a lot fucking differently, now wouldn't you," He growled, " What is it about being a Gryffindor that kills a person's ability to see the world from another's perspective."

" Oh, seeing the world from another's perspective!" She laughed haughtily, "That's rich, coming from Mr. Purity is Power himself Draco Fucking Malfoy!"

" Language Granger," He smirked, " And it's obviously not as black and white as you're making it out to be, or I'd be in Azkaban with my wretched father and not admiring your behind in those skin tight pants."

She blushed beet red, " I wish Harry had let you rot in prison, you-" She was cut off when a large older woman dragging her adult daughter cut through the line and propelled Granger into him. Draco had to grip her shoulders to keep from being knocked over himself. His nose was filled with her clean scent, and a good deal of curly hair to boot.

" Get your hands off me!" She said stiffly.

" Oh Granger, you're so tense. What's that muggle phrase? 'All work and no play means Granger needs to get laid,'" He whispered it into her ear for the pleasure of having her jerk and try to wrench herself away.

She wriggled out of his grip and jerked around, whipping him in the face with her enormous hair.

" That is _not_ the phrase! Alright Mr. New Perspective-" She started.

" You really like calling me Mr. Is that your kink, Granger?" He put on his best grin.

She growled like a baby kitten, and stepped forward to get in his face " This line isn't the right place for you. Isn't there racist bastard line you can go to?"

" Isn't there an uncompromising shrew express lane?" He countered, " I don't know why I even bother talking to you, it's obvious you've made up your mind about me and you won't change it. Classic Gryffindor."

" Yeah, why bother talking to me? Go to another line and leave me in peace."

" Oh I really do rile you up today, don't I Granger? Want to know why I won't change lines?"

She refused to answer, staring up at him with a disdainful frown.

" Because this one comes with a front row view of your lovely arse."

She looked like she was ready to slap him, " Then I'll change lines!"

" We're about ten people from the front, and we're moving quickly. You'd give all that up, and give me the satisfaction of winning? Fat chance, Granger," He revelled in her angry pout. Draco knew was too stubborn and proud to admit defeat, and she just had to hate that he knew it.

She spun on her heel, " You don't deserve my time."

He couldn't resist that one, " And yet I'm getting it, aren't I. I'd love to see what else you'd give me, Granger."

" Pervert," She whispered superciliously.

" I thought I was supposed to be the racist git, not the perverted muggleborn lover. Keep your insults straight, Granger, or I'll put you straight on your back."

She blushed, and he was so distracted by that he didn't see her heel lift and come down squarely on his toe.


	3. Chapter 3: Hermione

Chapter 3

Hermione listened to Malfoy's yelp with a self satisfied smile. Served him right. How could her magic think that this pure blooded pervert was her soulmate. Maybe she'd done the spell wrong. She was only in fourth year, for Merlin's sake, it was possible. Maybe she'd stumbled on a spell that revealed one's greatest nemesis.

The clerk at their window was cheerful. Too cheerful. She had a round, kind face, and she was smiling as she handed out packets. Smiling! How could such a harbinger of doom look so pleasantly efficient and perky. Then again, Umbridge had looked like a sweet maiden aunt.

" So Mr. Devon, we'll schedule you for your charm on the twelfth at 2, is that a good time?" The clerk simpered sweetly at the man in front of the window.

" If she pulls that 'lets-all-get-along' crap on me, don't hold me back, Malfoy," She said bitterly.

" Wouldn't dream of it, Granger. I know strong your right hook is," He said back cheerfully, " This day is so fucking backwards. Agreeing with Gryffindor's, getting spoken to like children, it's madness."

She had to concede to him there, " It all seems like some nightmare."

" Well I'd better fucking wake up then."

Hermione tried to get glimpses of packets as people walked by. The covers had a jolly photo of a witch and wizard holding hands and smiling, a newborn in their arms. The people holding the packets looked as grim as death.

"And what's with this charm business. Sounds like a load of rot to me," For once, his contempt was not directed at her.

" The _Maritare _charm? It's supposed to determine whose magic is most compatible with yours. Sort of like how a wand chooses you."

" Well _I've_ never heard of it."

" Well call the Prophet, Malfoy hasn't heard of a spell!" She snapped.

" What put your panties in a knot, Granger?" He jeered, " If you're wearing any, that is. Love these pants, by the way. Have I mentioned that enough?"

She wouldn't let him get the best of her, " Have a thing for arses, Malfoy?"

" Won't deny it. Lift up your sweater, will you, Granger?"

" You're disgusting," She scolded.

" No I'm distracting, so I can jump you in the line. Will this bimbo hurry up?"

She hated that for once they were on the same side of the argument. Just another reminder of how surreal this situation was. All she had to do was find out how this was supposed to go. Did she have to marry him? Or was the charm just a formality that she could do without? She had researched the charm heavily after that night with Ginny, but she'd been too afraid to try it a second time. Merlin, she hoped she had botched it.

A man walked past, his packet clutched to his chest so he could make it through the crowd.

"Excuse me sir, can I just ask something?" Malfoy had stopped him, " What is this about scheduling a charm?" Finally the ferret did something to help. She turned to listen.

The man looked Malfoy up and down, " Oi, aren't you the Malfoy blighter, the one who sent 'is father to azkaban."

Malfoy sighed, " No time for a formal introduction, mate."

" Right…. They kind of rushed me out. The clerk said she 'ad to record it or something. I guess you have to do it in front of them, so there's no funny business."

" Right," Malfoy smiled politely, " Thank you."

The man rushed away. They'd record it? Write it down? Put it in her records? Hermione almost felt nauseous.

" This soulmate charm better be fucking fireworks. She'd better be fucking brilliant. No, better than brilliant," Malfoy muttered.

Hermione was hit with a wash of cold, sobering dread, " So you're going to do the charm? I would have thought you'd have some snooty pureblood girlfriend who'd be dying to get her hands on your fortune."

He laughed, " Have you been living under a rock? I'm somehow both a death eater and a blood traitor. The purebloods who aren't in prison or dead would rather die than date me, and the winning team is too high and mighty to associate with me. At least this fucking charm thing takes the burden off me."

Hermione really did almost throw up then. She'd forgotten the most important, most crucially important thing. What did it matter if the whole world knew, as long as Draco Sodding Malfoy never ever _ever_ found out? If she got him, naturally he would get _her_ and then… everything would be completely ruined. Her mind raced for a way to get out of it. Could she possibly stop him from having to perform the charm?

Only two more people in line, she thought. Two people.

" I bet your soul mate wants nothing to do with you," She was trembling.

" Doubt that will matter to the ministry," He replied ruefully, " What about you then, I'm surprised you and Weasley don't have a whole army of brats after spending all those months together in a tent."

Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair, " Ron and I didn't work out."

" Ah, I see. So you're hoping maybe if the marrigeish charm works out in your favor, he'll come back to you."

" No!" She ground her teeth, " Malfoy why can't you just stand in line and be quiet."

" Why can't you pay attention? It's your turn." He replied, smiling.

She stomped up to the window with him right on her tail. Maybe she wouldn't have to marry him if she killed him. Surely Azkaban was the better alternative.

" Granger, Hermione," She growled at the clerk.

" Miss Granger! Of course," The clerk smiled generously and conjured up a fat file of papers and the dreaded packet.

" Would you like to schedule an appointment to register your _Maritare _charm?"

" I uh…" She could feel Malfoy breathing down her neck like a basilisk.

" We're trying to go alphabetically," The clerk flipped open Hermione's file with a flourish, " So you're G, and I… already have you scheduled for a slot on the sixteenth of September. Strange, that. Is the morning better for you, or the afternoon?"

" Morning." She bit out.

" And we'll contact…" The clerk searched her file, " The Department of Magical Education to notify them? Oh, that's easy, just a few floors away!"

Hermione was entertaining dark fantasies about how she could take this too cheerful girl down a peg or two, but she'd take the time to relish those later, " Yes, it is easy. What time is my appointment if you please?"

" I'll put you down at 10:20 AM, come early though in case the day is moving briskly- what's this?" The clerk pulled a piece of bright orange parchment from Hermione's file, " Oh! You came together!"

All the blood drained from Hermione's face, "What?"

" It says here that you performed the charm about eight years ago, so your appointment is just a confirmation of your…" The clerk's cheerful expression faded, replaced with one of pure horror as she looked past Hermione at Malfoy, " Match." At least the idiot knew better than to be cheerful at this moment.

" Did you say came _together_? Are you referring to me?" Malfoy's voice rang out crystal clear over the crowd, and Hermione rested her head against the glass pane separating her from the clerk. She closed her eyes and tried to think of nicer things. Like a cup of hot cider and a brand new book.

" Y-Yes… Mr. Malfoy, I… uh…" The clerk stammered.

" What does that _mean_?" It should have been a question, but when he said it, it was a command.

" It… it says here Mr. Malfoy…"

" Yes?"

Hermione's happy place was failing her.

" That… Miss Granger… I mean…"

" Are you trying to tell me that this marriageish spell or what ever rubbish thing it's called matched me and _her_?" He was drawing attention to them, and she wanted nothing more than to tell the pea brained pureblood to shut up. Actually, to revise that, she wanted nothing more than to disappear.

" Y-Yes, eight years ago," The girl stammered. Hermione opened her eyes a crack to see the clerk's red, terrified face. There, that was a happy image.

" Eight years ago? _Who_ performed it?" His voice cracked like a whip in the hand of an imperial prince.

" Miss Granger did, Sir," Of course that was the one statement the fool could get out without a mistake.

Hermione didn't have to turn around to know that Malfoy was livid. She could feel his anger radiating towards her in great waves.

Hermione let out a groan, " I give up. I'll be there. The sixteenth, you said? I'll be there." She snatched the packet from the clerk and turned to make her escape.

" Not. So. Fast." Malfoy's hand shot out and caught her upper arm in a tight grip, " My papers, please, madam. And a copy of that orange bit."

The clerk hesitated.

" I'm not going to hex her in the Office of Marriage and Family, dimwit, I just need to talk to her. She is, after all, my _soulmate_. A copy, please, of the orange parchment. And one for Miss. Granger here too," He growled out the last sentence in Hermione's ear, and she shivered in his grip.

The clerk handed over his packet quickly, " The sixteenth at 10:20 AM, Mr. Malfoy. I'll have the head of Marriage and Family there himself."

" I'll be there with bells on," He growled, " Come on, Granger."

He hauled her towards the elevator like a man on a mission. And Hermione just closed her eyes and tried to think of nicer things.


	4. Chapter 4: Draco

Chapter 4

As they walked towards the elevators, their path cleared. The bell rang and people sprang out of the way to avoid sharing the elevator with them. When it opened, it emptied, and Draco marched inside, with Granger limp in his grip. She wasn't even struggling. This was almost as disturbing as the clerk's hugely erroneous mistake.

" Where are we going?" She asked weakly.

" Up to the lobby to have some tea. You seem a little weak to me, soul of my soul," To emphasize, he dropped her arm. She didn't even flinch.

" You're going to hold off on yelling at me for a hundred and forty five floors just to be dramatic?" She half laughed, " Try that, see how it works out for you."

" At least you have some fucking fight back in you, Granger. What was that? What is this thing?" He smacked the paper with his open palm.

She rested her head in her palm, " Just calm down, okay."

" Tell me this is a joke. Tell me you and Potter and the Weasel cooked this up to make a joke at my expense," He turned her so she faced him, " You got me okay, humiliation complete."

She met his eyes defiantly, " Your humiliation, Malfoy, are you kidding me? If anyone is embarrassed, absolutely mortified it is me, alright?"

" So this isn't a joke?"

" Oh, it's a joke alright, but I'm not sure who's playing it." Her voice sounded weary.

" Then explain this to me, how you… you put some charm on me."

" I didn't fucking put a charm on you, I performed the charm. Ginny and I were trying it out to see that's all. It's not as if I knew there'd be consequences. We just wanted to see who our soulmates were. You think I'd purposefully pick you of all people?" She sneered, " I don't have to defend myself to you. It was just supposed to be some fun."

He stepped into her personal space, and she stepped back, " When was this?"

" At school, fourth year, just before Christmas Break. We were blowing off some steam after exams."

He stepped into her again and she backed up against the elevator wall, " So you did it, you admit it!"

" It wasn't on purpose, Malfoy!" She was brave to a fault, even as he towered over her, " Think about it for just one moment."

Draco's anger, despite himself, began to falter. More than anything, he was filled with a profound helplessness. She could be lying. The slytherin in him knew that. But why would she? He had to study the law, consider his options. He should take his own advice and see what he was up against. Instead he'd behaved like a Gryffindor fool, charging in without a thought of the consequences.

He backed away, " I'm sorry. Fuck… sorry, Granger."

" Never thought I'd hear you say that."

" I have said I'm sorry plenty of times!"

" Well, I don't remember it," She crossed her hands over her chest triumphantly, " But if you want to apologize to me I'm all ears, Malfoy."

How could she not remember? It was etched into his memory. Every one of her sobs, every one of his useless, cowardly broken apologies. How dare she refute it like it was nothing. He almost resisted the urge to one up her. He knew rationally that he was in the wrong. A better man would not rise to her baiting. But Draco was no Potter.

Draco pinned his hands on either side of her body. She startled, but looked up at him with enough malice in her eyes to make a weaker man back off. But he was no Longbottom.

" Floor One! Lobby!"

The door opened but they didn't move a muscle.

" When you are on your back. Under me. Screaming my name. Coming again and again. Then I will apologize. Soulmate."

She blushed right up to the roots of her frizzy brown hair.

And he smiled, and left her on the wall. Take that, Granger.


	5. Chapter 5: Hermione

Chapter 5

After Leaving the Ministry

Hermione walked along the streets of Diagon alley at a brisk clip, ignoring the lingering anger simmering over her. When Malfoy had left her in the lobby it had taken more than a minute to regain her senses. And to stand normally. He was just trying to make her afraid of him, and it wasn't going to work.

She turned into the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes without even turning her head. The brightly colored shop only dimmed her mood further.

" Mione!" Ginny sat up at the counter, " I'm glad you're here, it's a been a really slow day!"

" In a minute, Gin," Hermione set down her huge packet on the counter with a thud, " Have you read the paper this morning?"

" No, I haven't," Ginny turned from lax to panicked in the space of a second, " What's wrong? Did something happen to Harry?"

" You really don't know about the Marriage Law?"

" Marriage law? When was it announced?"

"This morning, the prophet said. I was just at the Office of Marriage and Family it was in complete chaos!"

" What? RON, do you have the paper?" Ginny's voice was so loud it grated on Hermione's last nerve.

" The Prophet?" Ron yelled up from the storeroom beneath the store.

" Yeah?"

" No, don't think so! Is that Hermione?"

" Yeah!"

" I'm coming up!"

" Listen, Gin, before he comes up, do you remember in fourth year… erm, my fourth year, when we snuck into the library after dark?" Hermione whispered, hoping Ron had a lot of store room business to attend to before he came up.

" You'll have to be more specific, Mione," Ginny joked.

" When we tried that charm, the one that name's your soulmate?"

Ginny's eyes were as round as saucers, " 'Mione…"

" Mione!" Ron popped his head out of the trap door that led down to the store room. A pencil was tucked behind his ear.

" Ron, have you read the Prophet this morning?"

" No, why?"

" Both of you really need to keep up on your current events, you know that?" She said, exasperated.

Ginny at least had the good nature to look sheepish, but Ron just rolled his eyes, "Alright, I'll go down to the corner and buy one. Catch me on the one day I don't read it, I tell you."

Hermione waited until he exited the store to let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

" 'Mione you said you went to the ministry, what did they say?"

" Well before he comes back you may as well know the worst," Hermione resisted the urge to collapse in misery onto the counter, " The ministry knows that we did the spell, and what's worse, they know who it was."

" How can they know that?" Ginny cried.

" Probably the Department of Defense. Or Underage Magic, But that's not even the worst of it," Hermione sighed, " Malfoy was in line behind me, and he heard the whole thing. Oh Gin, I don't think I can tell the boys, but I don't know what to do."

" It'll be alright. What does it mean, the law?"

" I don't know yet, they gave me this huge packet to read, and an appointment to 'confirm' my 'match,'" Hermione growled, " Oh I could kill that pureblood prick with my bare hands."

" How did Malfoy react, when he heard the news?"

"Typical Malfoy, he accused me of putting some sort of horrible charm on him to trick him, or something," She waved Ginny off.

" 'Mione, you're blushing!"

" I am not," She was, but she'd never admit it, " He just said something to rile me up."

Ginny was all ears, " Oh yeah, What did he say?"

" Don't do that, okay? Don't make this a cute gossip thing. He said something about having sex with me, a joke of course, to make fun of me," Hermione shook her head, " And he kept commenting on my bum."

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

" He's disgusting!" Hermione waved her off, " Now I have to get to this packet. If there's any clue to get out of this, it's in here."

" I'll help. Let me get you some tea," Ginny disappeared and left Hermione alone with the packet.

She stared down at it. The wizard and witch cooed over their newborn and smiled obligingly at the viewer. _What a slap in the face_, Hermione thought. She opened the packet to the first section and began to read.

It began with an innocent enough summary of the losses sustained in the war, projected population growth, the percentage of the population put away in Azkaban. Hermione swallowed hard as she read the casualties on the losing side. Black masks hurtled through the dark of the forest, killed by her hand, and another hundred swarmed to take their place. She blinked away the memory and read on.

Then it described the _Maritare _charm, and how it would speed up the process of matching considerably. In cheerful, public service announcement language, it talked about how the spell was never wrong, that muggle or stranger, the _Maritare _charm always matched those "most magically compatible in every way!"

Hermione slammed her hand down on the counter, _Wrong_. This was so wrong.

The door burst open, " Bloody Hell, 'Mione, is this for real?"

She glanced up at Ron's stunned face, " I think so."

He walked behind the counter in a daze, setting down the prophet in front of her.

" Where's Gin," He asked listlessly.

" Making tea," Hermione replied.

" Good. I could go for some good strong tea right now. Or a whisky," Ron shook his head, " Oh, that would be just perfect right about now."

" I know, I'm still shocked. I went to the ministry, and they gave me this huge packet on how the _Maritare _charm is just so handy for finding who your "perfect person, witch or wizard" is," Hermione couldn't help a the hint of contempt and sarcasm that crept into her voice.

" Well that's true. Fleur and Bill told me about it when they were planning for their wedding. They said they just wanted to be sure, and well, they were," He stared down at the newspaper so intently, Hermione was sure it was going to burst into flames, " And I told them they were fucking nutters."

"Exactly, Ron, thank you," She smiled up at him, " They made their choice, so who cares about some old charm."

" Well yeah," He echoed, " And not only that, imagine if it said someone else? You couldn't marry someone knowing they weren't your soulmate. Can you imagine? Every second I'd be thinking 'I wonder if my soulmate would understand me better' ' I wonder if my soulmate would take better care of me when I was sick' 'I wonder if my soulmate wouldn't snore.' You alright, 'Mione?"

She covered what must have been an expression of total fear by rubbing her eyes with her hand, " Yeah, I just didn't sleep well last night. And then to wake up to this…"

"I understand. So did they have you do it, the charm I mean?"

" No, not yet," She said as calmly a she could, " I have an appointment. Next… friday morning."

" Well fuck. Oi Ginny, where's that tea?"


	6. Chapter 6: Draco

Chapter 6

That Afternoon

Draco threw down his jacket on the silky spread of his four poster bed. And then, for good measure, he picked it up and threw it back down again.

Of all the bossy bints in England, no, in the world, his sodding soulmate had to be Hermione Fucking Granger. It couldn't be anyone else. Even _Professor Sprout _would have been preferable.

" Draco, are you home?" His mother's voice came from down the hallway.

" Just a moment, mother." He stared miserably at his now crumpled leather jacket, and then collapsed onto the bed in a heap. Maybe he'd take a nap. Maybe when he woke up, this whole situation would have turned out to be a bad dream.

Yes, that would be nice. He'd have a peaceful sunday in, perhaps he'd supervise the house elves as they cleaned a room. The manor had served as a temporary holding place for prisoners during the war, it's most notorious inmates being the Malfoys themselves. After his father's trial and Draco's own tribunal hearing had been complete, he'd begun the arduous process of converting the manor back to a livable space. He'd started with the meeting rooms, those were the easiest. And now he was halfway through holding cells, and last he'd clean up the torture chambers. It was relaxing, to start fresh again, making a sitting room or breakfast room out of a place where he'd once lived in fear for his life. Not to mention that it served as a final fuck you to the dark lord, and to his father.

" Draco!"

Draco found he could not move a muscle, " Mother, just five minutes, Salazar on a Saltine!"

The door to his bed chamber burst open, " Draco, I need to speak with you."

He buried his face in his covers, "What mother?"

" Have you read the prophet's news this morning?"

" You mean about the chudley cannons' keeper? I was as shocked as you!" He droned sardonically into his blankets.

" The marriage law, of course!"

" Yes mother," it would be so easy to fall asleep right here, with his face full of blankets. Merlin knew he needed it today.

" Pansy's mother just floored me. She's distraught. Completely collapsed. I mean, Draco, she's frantic!"

He turned over and stared at the green patterned canopy that hung over his bed, "Really Mother? What's that like?"

" Draco this is serious business!"

" I know it is mother, that's why I went down to the ministry this morning first thing."

" Well what did they say?"

" Well to start with _someone_ fouled something up, but I have an appointment to get it ironed out friday morning. They gave me this," He swept his hand carelessly in the direction that of his fireplace, where the packet lay on the ground.

" Someone made a mistake? What do you mean?"

" Just some… ministry nonsense," He couldn't be bothered to explain all this rotten business until he was sure it was real, " Mother, would you mind if I took a nap? The ministry was just… swamped."

Draco could hear his mother's silent worrying and hand wringing, and under other circumstances he would have did what he could to soothe her, but this day was just too much.

" We'll discuss this at dinner, okay, mother? I promise."

She rested a hand on his knee, " Don't take on too much, Draco."

" I won't, mother."

She hesitated a moment, then left.

He stared up at the fine pattern on his canopy, letting his eyes get lost in the intertwining scaled bodies of endless headless snakes. Now he felt guilty. He considered getting up and apologizing, but probably wouldn't be able to properly explain what had caused him to act that way.

Green flames burst into life in his fireplace and he groaned.

" Draco, mate, Daphne Greengrass just flooed me that you made a scene at the Office of Marriage and Family."

Blaise Zabini stepped into his room without a care.

" Excuse you, this is my bedroom, Blaise, you can't just walk in without giving me fair warning!"

" I said 'Draco, mate.' Is that not enough for you, your highness?"

" I can't catch a break today," Draco sighed.

" So I take it something did happen?"

Draco rubbed his face, " What did you hear from Greengrass?"

Blaise raised one eyebrow officiously, " Well it must be true then."

" What?"

" That Granger's your soulmate match."

" Oh fucking fucking fucking hell," Draco sprang to his feet, " Are you kidding me? The last thing I need is Greengrass spreading that all over England. As if I wasn't a laughingstock already!"

" Alright, calm down Drake."

" Why should I, when the whole world's gone off the deep end?" He clenched his fists open and closed again and again, " People stepping uninvited out of my fireplace, vindictive soulmates, will the indignities never cease?"

" Everyone in England is going through the same thing as you, Drake. Hell, I'm still reeling. But nothing good will come of losing your temper."

" Is _everyone_ going through the same thing as me? I'm not trying to be the martyr, Blaise, I'm telling you that this is extenuating circumstances," Draco began to pace," I wake up to this marriage law _insanity_, I go down to the ministry, obviously hoping that the prophet's gotten it royally fucked up, as they usually would. Come to find, not only have I got to concede to this… this… circus, but Granger is my fucking 'soulmate.' Not someone nice and stacked who doesn't think of me as a azkaban-dodging coward. Hermione Fucking _Granger_. And she's known for eight fucking years. It's more humiliating than even I can handle."

" Eight years? What do you mean?"

" She did the charm as a joke at school with the weaselette, some girly party game. And she was there _at_ office, she saw me there and she _knew_."

" So it's true?"

" Of course it's true."

" Fucking hell," Blaise exclaimed.

" Exactly my sentiments. And now I have to read through that packet and hope to salazar's shins that there's some mistake or loophole or… some kind of something."

" I believe that we're all looking for that."

" Some more furiously than others," Draco replied, " I can only imagine the thorough search Granger is going to do."

" To avoid being saddled with you? She might kill herself looking for a way out," The handsome Italian settled into an easy posture on the bed.

" You're right. Actually…" Draco crossed to his desk briskly and pulled out two sheets of informal parchment, and penned a quick missive. He waved his wand insolently over the pages and, once satisfied, whistled for a house elf.

" Send this to Miss Hermione Granger with Fabienne. And if there's some way you could… lose it until late tonight… very late, Tibby."

The house elf squeaked and blushed, " Of course Master!"

"Drake, I don't like the look on your face," Blaise frowned.

" I'm just trying to save myself a lot of unnecessary legwork, if Granger is already doing a search."

" And if, in the process, you were to rile Granger up…?"

" Just a little love game with the soul of my soul, heart of my heart," Draco said through his teeth.


	7. Chapter 7: Hermione

Chapter 7

That Night

Hermione stared blearily down at the page. It was hopeless, hopeless. She'd even gone to the ministry's library and gotten the official statement from the ministry, the prophet's article, everything she could find.

And it was worse than she thought. The pamphlet spoke optimistically about 'ample time to secure and confirm the matches.'

The actual law put a date on it. In six months, she would have to register an engagement at least. One year from the first of October, she would have to be married. It also put its money where it's mouth was. If the year was up, and an eligible witch or wizard (above eighteen, unmarried, and not imprisoned) refused to submit to the law, the ministry would revoke their magic.

The good news was that so far, she didn't think she _had_ to marry Malfoy. The _Maritare _charm was really more of an encouragement, assurance for all the desperate cases like Hermione that the ministry was doing all it could do make this as easy as possible.

And what made her a desperate case? Well for one, instead of being out at a glamorous dinner with a charming date, she was hunched over a stack of crumpled parchment with an impossible problem. Old habits die hard.

The only thing that had changed since the old days? Wine. She never drank enough to go beyond a slight tipsiness, but tonight she was sorely tempted. Anyway, who would notice or care? She was alone anyway.

A rapping at the window sobered her thoughts. A fine looking, but unfamiliar owl rested on her kitchen window sill. Instantly, her breath hitched. She shook her head to clear away the voice in the back of her head that whispered that it could be a trap. She was safe. The war was over.

She stood slowly, and stood in front of her sink looking at the owl. It cocked it's head to the side and looked up at her with wide brown eyes. A missive was tied to it's leg with a wide green ribbon. _Malfoy_. She rolled her eyes, but opened the window cautiously.

The owl calmly offered it's burden, looking up at her in askance. She handled Malfoy's note like it was covered in basilisk venom. As soon as she had it free of the ribbon, the owl took off.

"Wait-" She called out the window hopelessly, " How am I supposed to reply?"

The parchment was longer than she expected, and certainly much longer than was required for the note:

_Granger,_

_Expect you will be up late looking for a way out. Two heads are better than one, don't you think? Await your reply._

_Your ever devoted soulmate,_

_Malfoy_

She rolled her eyes back so far in her head, it actually hurt. First of all, her address was meant to be a secret, she felt safer in muggle London. Second, how was she meant to send a reply back to him?

Third, this whole thing was too suspicious. Malfoy offering to pool their resources? She'd sooner trust Bellatrix Lestrange to catsit.

And to top it all off his closing made her want to strangle him with her bare hands. Who did he think he was? She almost threw the page into the trash, but she gave it one last glance. Underneath the original missive, a postscript began to reveal itself.

_PS. Don't want to bother with the long back and forth of post. Write back to me on this page._

Hermione's interest was piqued. Was it a two way reflecting charm? They'd used those during the war, to make plans long distance. It was a sophisticated bit of spellwork, more complicated as the distance grew.

She sat down at her kitchen table and inspected first the front and then the back of the paper. Whatever he did, it was completely undetectable.

Confidently, Hermione raised her quill. She wrote his name in greeting… and then froze. She wasn't sure if she really trusted him to work with, but by the same token she was surprised he'd even offered. Ron and Ginny had comforted her, but they would never dig through a law with her and talk out the different options. They wanted her to come up with something concrete first- which she planned to. Harry was the same, although slightly more proactive. When she'd floo-ed him, he was already contacting people to stage a peaceful protest. ' I'm depending on you, 'Mione! Go through those laws with a fine toothed comb!' He'd said in lieu of a goodbye.

And she would. She knew she could.

_You there?_

The writing appeared under her aborted "Malfoy-" and she almost jumped out of her seat. She almost considered not writing back, just throwing the paper out and pretending it hadn't happened. But her pride dragged her quill across the page.

_Sorry, I wasn't sure of my reply._

She waited, biting her lip.

_What's to be sure of? I was going to ask if you wanted to talk it through at the ministry library in the afternoon tomorrow, not if you wanted to come over for a good comforting shag._

She considered his words, stedfastly ignoring the second half. An afternoon at the library seemed fairly aboveboard.

_Unless you're offering_, He wrote swiftly, _You'd have to be on top though, I've had a pretty trying day._

She almost stabbed through the paper, she was pressing her quill so hard to the page.

_Malfoy, I don't appreciate your improper advances._

_You were inches from me today in the elevator, Granger, but you didn't even draw your wand. So that leaves me to wonder: It may be improper, but is it unwelcome?_

She took in a quick breath through gritted teeth. He really knew how to get her temper up. She put her quill down to tell him to sod off, but he wrote again:

_I just like provoking you, but_

He hesitated.

_but you shouldn't let your temper get the best of you. Tsk, Tsk._

She narrowed her eyes at the paper, as if it were Malfoy himself. Well two could play at that game. He wouldn't know what hit him.

_My temper is nothing to your rudeness. Careful, Malfoy, or I might have to discipline you._

_How shocking. I'm clutching my pearls at your daring._

_It's comments like that that will have you on your back, Malfoy. Under me. Screaming my name. Coming again and again._

Was it possible to blush so hard a person actually burst into flames? Hermione made a note to herself to look it up later.

_Don't make promises you can't keep, Granger. I take it that you'll meet me after work tomorrow then? Or are you too afraid of the scary defeated death eater?_

Hermione's quill hovered over the paper. It was probably just a waste of time. Or an excuse to humiliate her. But now he'd made it a dare. And no one could say that Hermione Granger would walk away from a dare.

_I'll be there at three, straightaway after work._

_Excellent_, He wrote back.


	8. Chapter 8: Draco

Author's Note: This is a short one, but I hope still enjoyable.

Chapter 8

The Next Day

Draco rubbed his eyes and stared down at the parchment on his desk. He and the other junior clerk had been tasked with labelling all the prophecies that had been made in the months leading up to the battle of Hogwarts, a task that had been shuttled around and ignored for over five years by every member of the Department of Mysteries. And as he stared at the veritable mountain of unlabeled prophecies, the task seemed more and more useless by the second.

For the first part of the day, he'd been able to efficiently label well over one hundred prophecies, although that was but a drop in the ocean. But as the day had worn on they'd gone through a number of coping strategies to continue working, coupled with long bouts of procrastination.

Currently he and the other junior clerk were trying to copy each other's handwriting style. Draco had proved rather adept at Luna's feminine scrawl, though she was having trouble imitating the exact nature of his R's.

" It's more of an upwards curve than a slope," He corrected, " How does this look?"  
>She glanced at his label, " You really have a knack for this, Draco. Put a star above that 'i'?"<p>

" Oh great, another useless thing I'm good at," He smirked, " Why a star?"

" Just to see if anyone ever looks up a prophecy about Hannah Abbot's Grandmother and complains about it," She sighed.

" If I had a prophecy in this mountain, I'd never find it," He scratched a slanted star over the 'i', Lovegood-style.

" Alright, is this a better try?" She held it up for inspection.

" Too… legible?" He mused.

She laughed and set the label on the pile, " Did you see today's quibbler, Draco?"

" Can't say I did."

" Harry Potter's organizing a protest over the Marriage Law," She said placidly, starting on the next label.

" Potter's organizing?" Draco sneered, " I thought he was already married to the Weaselette."

" Ginny, " Luna corrected dreamily, " And all the more reason. He sent a letter to the press this morning about how he didn't have the choice made for him and that's why it's important that he stand up and fight for the choices of others."

Draco shook his head, " Thought that would be more of Granger's thing."

" I'm sure she'll be there," Luna said cheerfully, " Still meeting her after work? It's almost time."

Draco groaned, " I never should have told you that."

" It wasn't your fault, I distracted you," She quipped.

" That you did. I've never seen that many prophecies spinning on a table at once. It must have been a record."

" I checked on the scoreboard, and I was one shy."

" What's the record?"

" Forty Three, set by Elissandre O'Hare in 1973."

Draco whistled, " A woman who can spin that many untouchable objects has to be something special."

" I'm sure she was," Luna responded smoothly, rounding out the tail on a 'g' with an almost Draco-ish flair.

" Hey, Lovegood," He pretended to be absorbed in his task, " don't go spreading that Granger business around, okay. No quibbler gossip column stuff."

" You mean until you propose?"

He snorted, " When trolls fly will I propose. No, I mean it's… embarrassing, you know."

She pondered that. He could hear the little ravenclaw cogs in her brain working against each other.

" I don't see how it's embarrassing, Draco. Hermione's smart and accomplished," Luna reasoned, " You could do worse, as far as it goes, you know?"

" History trumps personality in this case, Lovegood," He countered, " I'm not about to marry someone who thinks of me as a sniveling coward."

" I don't mean you have to marry anybody, Draco. I just mean Hermione's not an _embarrassment_," She scratched out a long name.

He refused to answer. It was the whole thing, the whole situation that was embarrassing. He just wanted to live his life in peace. Take care of his mother. Do his job. Stay out of everyone's way. But the past had a way of biting him in the arse every chance it got.

There was a long pause.

" You're not a coward, Draco," Luna said finally.

" You forgive me too easily for my faults, Lovegood."


	9. Chapter 9: Hermione

Chapter 9

Later That Afternoon

Hermione drummed her fingers on the table. She tapped her foot. She jiggled her leg. She twirled her hair.

This was stupid. He obviously wasn't going to show. He probably had a secret camera set up to photograph standing her up. Maybe he was planning to do an expose with Rita Skeeter on how "desperate bookworm" Hermione Granger was trying to trick him into a marriage.

She stood up to leave in a self-righteous huff, almost knocking the wind out of the person who had come up behind her with her stuffed work bag.

" Oof, Granger watch where you swing that thing, will you," Malfoy's deep voice, more masculine than she remembered, rumbled through her. She turned and stared at him, doubled over, a hand nursing his solar plexus. He looked up at her through long wispy blond bangs, and for just a moment their eyes met. She looked away.

He sat opposite her at the table and, warily, she sat too. He looked rumpled, not the usual smooth polish she expected from him. His hair was loose and partially obscuring his eyes, which had deep bags under them. His clothes were clearly of good quality, but painstakingly plain, just a set of the simplest black robes, a light blue shirt, and black tie. Come to think of it, at the ministry, he'd been dressed in a plain navy sweater. The Malfoy she remembered from school was much more adept at flaunting his wealth than this. Odd.

" You're late."

He made a pained face and checked his watch, " Two minutes past? Call off the inquisition, Granger, I confess to everything!"

She resisted the almost overwhelming urge to stick out her tongue, " 'Better three hours too soon than a minute too late,' Malfoy."

" 'Things without all remedy Should be without regard: what's done, is done', Granger, and now that we've both demonstrated that we can quote Shakespeare, let's get on with it," He rolled his eyes and took out a piece of parchment, " We've lost two whole minutes. Oh the humanity!"

" You've read Shakespeare?"

He raised an eyebrow, " I had to take Muggle studies just like everybody else. Shakespeare was one of the few worthwhile things we studied."

She didn't believe him, " Which play is your favorite?"

" Hamlet," He shot back, " Yours?"

" Much Ado About Nothing," She was so bewildered by this unexpected revelation, the response was almost automatic.

He seemed surprised at that.

" I like Beatrice and Benedick," She defended herself, " And the happy ending."

" I didn't say anything against it, Granger. Just had you pegged as more of a tragedy fan."

" No," She smiled ruefully, " Tragedy's overrated. Believe me."

He gave her a crooked little half smile, " That might be one of the only points we can agree on."

" Oh I don't know," She said breezily, " We both agree that the marriage law is a load of bollocks."

" Well look at us," He leaned back and crossed his hands over his chest, " Talking like adults. My mother would be very proud of me right now."

" I'm almost proud of you right now," She said with a smirk.

" I know!" His eyes twinkled with sarcastic glee, " If I can continue behaving this well, Mother might finally let me sleep inside the house."

" With the people?" She played along.

" Indeed, with the people, Granger. But you're right to be sceptical. In about thirty seconds I'm just going to have to comment on that skintight dress of yours and ruin the whole thing."

" Thirty seconds from now I'm going to be so angry about whatever perverted comment you make," She teased back.

" I know, I know, I hate to ruin this nice moment, but I have to, Granger," He shrugged exaggeratedly, "What can I do? I mean, look at you."

" Would it really matter what I wore? I'm sure you'd find a way to comment."

" That's entirely true," He shot back with a grin.

She found herself almost grinning back. Even the corners of her lips were quirking upwards! What was she doing? She dropped her eyes to the tabletop, breaking the moment. This whole situation was messing with her head. Marriage laws, Maritare charms, and to top it all off Malfoy behaving like… well almost like a normal human being? Had the world gone mental?

Suddenly, Hermione wanted very badly to run home. Maybe hide in bed, with crookshanks and a well worn copy of anything but Shakespeare. Perhaps losing her magic really wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Certainly easier than this.

" Uh… we should get to talking about the law," She said quietly, looking back up.

His eyes glimmered with humor, " Ruin the moment all you want, you still have ten seconds, Granger. Tick tock."

She ignored him, " Obviously, I think we should start with the deadlines that the ministry put forth for the marriage law. In three months, they do an interview-"

Draco interrupted, " Your tits are so aggressive in that dress I feel like I'm in an interview."

She couldn't help herself, it was so bad, she burst out laughing. People at other tables glared at them. Malfoy smiled at them.

" She's laughing at me because she knows it's not my best work. Admittedly, she didn't give me a lot to work with as far as wordplay goes," He said to a startled witch at the next table.

" Be quiet," She hissed through her giggles.

" You're the one who's disturbing the peace," He leaned in and whispered, " It's the library for Merlin's sake. Have some respect, Granger."

She giggled again, " Why are you being so… not… not horrible today?"

" Maybe I'm just throwing you off the scent so I can pour poison in your ear," He quipped.

" Right, the old ear poison trick. You slytherins are so clever," She raised an eyebrow, " But really, is someone playing a trick on me with polyjuice potion."

He made a face, " Who would willingly become one of the most hated men in Britain, Granger?"

" Fair point," She echoed.

" But you're welcome to do a full body search to reassure yourself," He spread his hands wide as if to offer her his body and waggled his eyebrows.

" Alright, Malfoy, you've had your fun," She rolled her eyes, " But now, really, let's get on with it."

To Hermione's surprise, He nodded, " Yes, lets do. So what were you saying about three months?"

" I was saying in three months the ministry is conducting home interviews with people who haven't registered an engagement or married."

" That seems… arduous."

" Well, not with the population as low as it is right now," She reminded him.

" Right. You're right," He nodded, " And then after that, of course-"

" Yes, the six month mark is where engagements must be registered to avoid the penalties."

" Which were?" He rested his quill on the pillow of his lower lip. His lips were much fuller than she remembered, and a pale pink color, like the color of lipstick Hermione was always trying to find that would transform her deeply pigmented lips to something more soft and feminine.

Was she thinking about Malfoy's lips right now?

" Restrictions on magical usage, and depending on the person's cooperation, freezing of their assets."

His fist was clenching and unclenching on the hard wooden library tabletop, " They really are being too harsh," He said gruffly.

" And then in a year…" Hermione trailed off and frowned deeply. He echoed her expression, pulling his pouty mouth into a frown that was almost insolent.

" We'll all be married," He concluded grimly.

" Or lose our magic," She added.

She almost didn't catch his reaction. His eyes just widened ever so slightly and he let out half a breath suddenly.

" You didn't read the law at all, did you? You didn't even read the bloody packet!" She hissed accusingly. To his credit he didn't turn a hair.

" I read both, Granger," He corrected.

" You did not!"

" Did too," He growled.

" Okay, fine, I believe you," She stared him down through narrowed eyes, " Just answer me one thing."

" Fine, if it will calm your irrational suspicions."

" Which department head introduced the bill to the Wizengamot?"

" The Head of the Marriage and Family Department," He lied smoothly.

" Wrong!" She smiled triumphantly, "The Head of the Department of Mysteries, which if I recall, is the department you work in!"

" Well I'm not going to remember the fine print!" He exclaimed.

" It's your department!"

" Well I'm just a junior clerk!"

" Doesn't seem to fit your status," She sneered.

" It doesn't." He responded promptly.

" If we don't register matches within six months, the ministry will consider us automatically engaged: True or False?"

He scoffed, " False."

" It's true! You didn't even read the most important part, you dolt! You couldn't even guess right!"

" Salazar Slytherin that's true?"

" Malfoy, do you not realize that this is serious business?"

" Which I am taking very seriously by making sure I get information from the best source."

She felt like she had been kicked in the stomach.

" Be your own source, you lazy prick!" She slammed a fist on the table, " I can't believe I thought there was even a remote possibility that you wanted to help me! I must have been out of my mind."

" Well there's no sense in both of us reading the same thing to get the same information," He held up his hands.

" You just don't care at all, do you?" Hermione wanted to shake him.

" It has been a day, Granger," His placid expression hardened, " What incredible thing am I meant to have accomplished."

" Harry's bringing the wizarding world together for a protest and you're sitting up in your mansion waiting for someone else to do the work for you," Hermione had a hard time keeping her voice library appropriate, " How typically Malfoy."

His nostrils flared, " We can't all be gryffindors, Granger. I'm sorry I'm not up to your standards."

" My standards only exclude cowards, Malfoy," She spat.

" Do not call me a coward, Granger, or you will find yourself very, very sorry."

" Considering that I'm calling you a miserable, cowardly son of a bitch, I don't think you'll be doing anything to make me sorry."

"You are treading dangerous waters here, Granger," He put his face almost nose to nose with her, " I'm warning you one last time. Do not call me a coward again." His breath was hot on her lips but she refused to back away when his eyes were burning into hers.

" Are you going to participate in the protest?"

" What?" His brow furrowed, " No."

" Then, Malfoy," Hermione's chest was burning with anger, " You're a coward who doesn't stand for anything."

She turned on her heel with a flourish and left him standing there in shock. Point to Granger, she thought.


	10. Chapter 10: Draco

Chapter 10

The Following Morning

Draco woke up the next morning with a righteously pounding headache. After work he had asked Blaise to meet him at the Hog's Head for a drink. The last thing he remembered was Blaise trying to hit on a gorgeous black haired bird with the ass of a goddess. She'd said that she heard that Draco kept his mother under house arrest and controlled her visitors like a prison ward. He groaned and shut his eyes to the too bright morning light. Narcissa stood at the open window holding two cups of hot tea.

" Good morning, Draco," She said with a wide smile, " How was your night?"

" Replete with revelry, Mother," He said into his pillow, " What time is it?"

" Seven," She replied cheerfully, opening and closing the drawers of his bureau while he tried to bury his aching head as deep as possible in the pillow while simultaneously not moving at all.

" Mother why are you doing this," He intoned, " I don't have to wake for work for a half hour."

" Because last night my oh so charming son came home in the odd hours of the morning and decided to wake his poor beleaguered mother from her desperately needed rest in order to raid the liquor cabinet in my room and deliver a monologue on Hermione Granger of all people," She picked up a decorative metal sculpture and tested its weight on his mantlepiece.

" Mother!"

Narcissa continued unabated, " A young lady who my son had until just that moment neglected to mention to me was his soulmate."

" You know mother, I'm starting to understand where I get my talent for dramatics and hyperbole from," He said into his pillow.

" What I don't understand, that I am really, really trying to understand, Draco, is why you were unable to tell me," Narcissa wrung her hands together, " There was no reason not to, and yet you did not."

" I'm not going to marry her, Mother," He blurted out, " It's a mistake that will shortly be remedied."

" The Maritare charm doesn't make mistakes."

" Well this time it did, because there's no way in hell Hermione Granger and I are soulmates."

" Yes, I believe you said something to that effect last night," Narcissa said ruefully.

" What else did I say?" He rolled his head to the side of the room with less sunlight.

" Well you started with saying if you came to protest you'd only scare people off and lose your job and something about how that's just what a gryffindor would expect you to do," Narcissa sat on the edge of his bed, " You also said something about me being under house arrest, and some people named Beatrice and Benedick, but those parts made less and less sense."

" Oh, Gilderoy Lockhart on a Gurney my head hurts," He exclaimed.

" I'm not surprised, you drank nearly all of my muggle wine. Oh, you also kept laughing at my muggle wine and slurring 'would a racist do this,' while you drank," Narcissa said frankly.

" Mother, please, my ego is big enough already," Draco droned.

" That sounds more like you. Drink your tea," Narcissa said sweetly " Now you are going to sit down and properly explain this situation to me, starting at the very beginning. Or, I will happily instruct the house elves to shatter all of your grandmothers worst china set. It has place settings for a full service a la russe for twenty."

" Can I lie down and tell you?"

" Have it your way, Draco," Narcissa sighed loftily, " Drink your tea."

Draco took a long sip and began, closing his eyes against the morning light. He explained what he knew of Granger's experiment with the Maritare charm, how they'd run into each other at the ministry, and the basics of what he'd written and their argument in the library. When he'd finished, his mother picked up a decorative figurine from his side table and smashed it on the floor.

His head throbbed, " Mother please."

" Draco, the girl is right, you are not taking the marriage law seriously at all. If you plan to fight for your rights, fight for them. At least the protesters are taking this into their hands," She chastised him.

" May I remind everyone that it has been about two days since I learned of the marriage law," He defended himself.

" And what do you plan to do about it?" Narcissa countered.

" I logged a formal complaint with the Office of Marriage and Family, and I fully intend to follow up with the head of the Office at the meeting on the sixteenth," He replied, " I am trying to do things through the proper channels."

" But the protest could be much more powerful, Draco, you know that," She replied quickly.

" Mother, what am I supposed to do? You know how hard this job was for me to get, if I take a day off work to protest, what sort of message would that send? I have to keep my head down," He reasoned, " And lets say I do go to the protest. Do you think I'd be welcomed with open arms? Two weeks ago I was walking down the street at Diagon Alley and someone spit in my face. Said it was for Dumbledore. If I went to that protest I'd do more harm than good, just riling people up."

" But you'd be doing something more than just keep your head down-"

" Mother, I can't."

" We're not under anyone's thumb anymore, Draco. If you want to control your life you have to do it."

" I've been bringing home too many quibblers," He shook his head.

" But Draco, remember what you said to me just before your father was taken in for his trial? You said that we'd never be trapped, ever again."  
>" Well, I lied, Mother," His anger boiled over. He was tired, so tired, and his head hurt, and he had a sneaking suspicion that work today was going to be more incessant labels, and he couldn't keep calm.<p>

He took a deep breath, " The whole world is a series of traps. This law, their bloody charm, my job… I'm sorry I've disappointed you, Mother, and I'm sorry if I'm being a coward. But…" He shrugged his shoulders emptily.

Narcissa bit her lip, but her eyes softened, " You're going to worry yourself to death, my brave boy."

" Oh I don't know, mother," He closed his eyes, " I'm less worried about the marriage law when I've got the hangover to end all hangovers."

She rolled her eyes, " Come down to breakfast."


	11. Chapter 11: Hermione

Chapter 11

That Night

" What about 'No Charm makes my Choice,'" Ginny and Hermione were spread out on the burrow's living room floor in front of the poster boards, coming up with slogans.

" Good one," Hermione began to letter in 'NO' with a big fat marker.

" I'll never get used to these muggle dealies," Ginny said thoughtfully as she rounded out the last letter on a sign which read 'Soulmate is Not My Sole Choice'. That had been Ron's contribution, and he refused to carry a sign that said anything else, even though the pun was idiotic.

" That's what I used to say about quills," Hermione chirped back. They fell silent for a moment, just writing next to the crackling fire with a plate of Molly Weasley's famous snickerdoodle cookies. This should have been a perfect evening for her: back in the rush of planning and scheming. The whole group finally back together again, and the spirit in the room was equal to the cheer and planning came before the house cup at school, before the war and all its ugliness. Harry was upstairs sending notes to people inviting them to join the protest, and Ron was, typically, in the kitchen eating.

But Hermione kept thinking about the argument she'd had with Malfoy the day before. Every time she remembered his fucking ferret face she wanted to march on the ministry, just to show him what true conviction looked like. Every time she remembered how he'd almost tricked her into thinking that he was going to work through the law with her, she wanted to throw the appeal for the law that they were surely going to get right in his face. How dare he make her laugh and carry on when their very livelihoods were being threatened? How dare he not read the law that was pushing for _them_ of all people to be married?

" 'Mione, you're stabbing through the paper, honey," Ginny laid a hand gently on hers and pulled the marker away, " I don't think I'm out of line if I ask- is something wrong?"

" I'm fine, really," Hermione waved her off, " You know how I'm having trouble sleeping."

" 'Mione…" Ginny fixed her with the look that was usually reserved for when Harry made a huge mistake.

" I… I got into it with Malfoy at the Ministry Library yesterday and it's still plaguing me," She admitted.

" Oh, no, why?" Ginny cried.

" Shh- Gin keep your voice down, Ron's only in the kitchen."

" Why were you guys fighting? I thought he didn't want to go through with it anyway?" Ginny, much like her brothers, was nearly incapable of whispering, but she put in a valiant effort.

" He sent me a note saying we'd go through the law together and try to find anything to get out of this awful business," Hermione smirked.

" Well that's… unexpected?"

" Yes, well he hadn't bothered reading the law at all."

Ginny frowned sympathetically, " And he'd promised to? Typical Malfoy."

Hermione hesitated, " Well… no, I guess he didn't really promise to."

" What do you mean?"

" He said 'two heads are better than one,'" Hermione admitted, " But he _implied_ that he knew more about it than he did."

" So you guys discussed what you'd found and you got fed up with him?" Ginny's eyebrows lowered.

" We sort of did…"

" But you got in a fight before you really did, huh?"

Hermione looked at her hands.

" Why even waste your time with him? He just gets you all wound up," Ginny laid a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

" He's not being proactive! If he wants to get this law repealed, he should do something about it," Hermione grumbled, " He's not even _considering_ coming to the protest!"

" So? What do you care what he does at all?" Ginny rubbed Hermione's shoulder, " It's just Malfoy, you don't have to see him if you don't want to."

Hermione stuttered, " Well that's true but… I just think it will be easier to get this charm business straightened out with his help."

" Hermione, I know you may not want to hear this, but I don't think you can straighten anything out. The _Maritare _charm is magically binding. I was reading an article about it in this morning's prophet. It can only be changed if your soul mate dies."

" There was an article about that?"

" Yes, because Hannah Abbott got a prisoner at azkaban, and there's been a huge uproar."

" As there should be! How dare the ministry-"

" The ministry can't help who your soulmate is, Hermione, and neither can Malfoy," Ginny shook her head, " All you can do is move forward."

" All I can think is that I must have made a mistake eight years ago," Hermione complained.

" Hermione, you were top of our class, you didn't mess up," Ginny put on her best mom-voice, " Sometimes, you just can't control everything."

" I know that," Hermione responded.

" Well you alternate between refusing to talk about it, and getting all huffy over Malfoy. You haven't even told me how you feel about it," Ginny said softly, " What if the marriage law isn't repealed? What then?"

" It has to be repealed. The Ministry can't put through a law that violates the freedoms of it's people!"

" Yes, 'Mione, but what if it isn't repealed?"

" Well… then I guess I go find someone whose soul mate is a prisoner is in Azkaban."

Ginny laughed, " Well if it he hadn't slithered out of it, your soulmate _could_ be in Azkaban."

" Oh, what a relief that would be," Hermione sighed, " I'd better go, Gin."

Ginny stood up with Hermione and they started to gather up the supplies, " Want to check on Jamie with me before you go?"

" You know I do," Hermione smiled, pulling her jacket on over her sweater.

They walked up the winding stairs in silence, but Ginny's words echoed in Hermione's mind. _Can't control everything_. What if they couldn't get the Ministry to repeal the law? Most people were still processing the law's announcement, but within a few months people would start marrying. Hermione hadn't been on a second date since she and Ron had split. Most men she met were too intimidated by her reputation and fame, or treated her like a trophy to be won. Flirting was not her forte, and she'd never been much of a party girl. But if the alternative was to be ousted by the wizarding world, she'd happily get out of her comfort zone.

They entered James's room in silence and crept over to him where he lay in the green painted crib that had held every Weasley child for three generations. He slumbered peacefully, thumb in mouth, his dark hair lying in a mess on his pale forehead. Ginny looked down at him as though he'd hung the moon.

" You ever want one of these, 'Mione?" Ginny whispered.

Hermione looked down at the perfect sleeping baby as he sniffled into his thumb, " I don't know about the second part, but you know I do."

" I worry about you, all alone in that apartment."

" I have crookshanks," Hermione defended, " And I'm perfectly happy on my own."

" I know, it just gets me thinking, you know?"

" You married your soulmate, Ginny," Hermione answered with an eye roll, " I'm sorry it's proving a little harder for me. But I'm _fine_."

" What about that guy, Peter, from your office?"

Hermione shrugged miserably, " Just sort of fizzled."

" So there's no one?"

Unbidden came the memory of Malfoy looking up through his bangs at her in the library.

" No one," Hermione responded firmly.


	12. Chapter 12: Draco

Chapter 12

The Following Morning

_She was lying so still. He set down a bowl of warm water and a cloth. "Clean the blood up yourself, muggle lover," His aunt had spat at him before thrusting them into his hands. He took out his wand, but his hand was shaking too hard to bother with a scourgify. No mind. That often happened nowadays, and he was getting shockingly used to getting on without it. She whimpered and jerked under his hand as he pressed a warm cloth to the wound._

" _Shh," He whispered, pressing her shoulder down with his free hand._

" _Don't hurt me," she said in a tiny, tight voice, her eyes suddenly on his, wild and haunted. He wiped her tears with the cloth before setting back to the arm._

_He didn't respond, trying to concentrate on his task. That was how he'd learned to get through these moments in between being locked in his rooms. The blood was pooled around her arm, so first he would wipe her arm clean, and then roll her away from the puddle. His aunt hadn't mentioned any spells that might have compromised Granger internally, but one never knew when a broken rib or arm might be discovered. The dark lord would want her as well as possible before torturing her himself._

_She was crying, slow fat tears, but she choked on her sounds, " Don't hurt me."_

" _I'm going to lift up your arm and clean you up, okay, Granger," He said gruffly, noticing his throat was tight._

_She whimpered, " Malfoy, please?"_

_He glanced at her face, " I won't hurt you, Granger, I couldn't."_

" _Why?" She whispered._

" _The dark lord wants to question you," He responded, wiping around the wound. There were crisscrossing lines, it didn't seem to be a clean cut. _

_She sobbed, " Don't hurt me."  
><em>" _If I couldn't kill Dumbledore, I'm too much of a coward to hurt you," He stated matter of factly, although the admitting of it felt like stabbing himself in the eye._

_She cried, low keening sobs as he rinsed the blood from her arm. He felt sick when he saw what his aunt had cut into her, but there wasn't much he could do when he couldn't hold his wand properly._

" _I'm so sorry, Granger, I need to move you. Can you-" He swallowed hard and realized belatedly that he was crying too, " Can you stand up?"_

_She was beyond reason, pressing her cheek hard against the cold marble floor and sobbing. He rolled her over on her side and mopped up the blood as best he could. As he washed, the water in the basin turned from pale pink to a violent translucent red._

_He found numbly that he had been whispering "I'm sorry" in a mindless mantra, and now she was looking over her shoulder at him, her face a mask of fear and hatred. But there was nothing he could do, it kept coming out of him._

" _Granger, I'm so sorry."_

He woke with a gasp, pressing his hand to his throat. It was only a memory, a dream. A house elf stood with his hand frozen in midair.

" Ipsy was just going to wake Master Draco," She squeaked.

" I- I'm sorry Ipsy," He almost grimaced at having to say that again, " I was having a bad dream.

Ipsy set his breakfast tray down, " Forgotten already, Master Draco."

" What time is it?"

" Ten to eight," Ipsy spread a napkin on Draco's lap

" Stop fussing with me, I'm a grown man," Draco began spreading marmalade on his toast.

" Ispy will stop fussing over Master Draco when Master Draco has a child for Ipsy to fuss over," She began stoking the fireplace.

Draco almost told her not to hold her breath, " I'll take it into consideration. Don't start a fire, I'll only be here another minute or two."

" Mistress sent a note to the ministry telling them you needed to rest today."

Draco sat up, almost upturning his tray, " She did not! They'll think I'm at that bloody protest! Mother!" He called out, to no avail.

" She's gone to Azkaban to visit your father."

" Merlin, why?"

" It's their anniversary, Master Draco," Ipsy explained.

" No wonder I'm having such bad luck," He growled, " I'm to take the morning off for that bloody appointment, I can't afford to not go into work."

Ipsy would never have a condescending tone, but Draco knew when he was being spoken down to, " I believe she hoped you would consider it a day off to re-evaluate your choices."

" If she wanted me to go to the protest, she could have bloody well said," He set his tray aside and started for his wardrobe.

" Master, where are you going," Ipsy called.

" I am going to go to work. And maybe afterwards I'll go to Azkaban and spit in my father's face," He said through gritted teeth.

The lobby of the ministry was packed with workers and protesters alike. Draco tried to push his way through a gaggle of tittering girls with signs that read ' Marriage Law is Malicious' and 'Choices not Charms.' But they ignored him in favor of Potter, who was speaking from a makeshift platform.

" Making this a law, makes marrying a punishment!" His voice echoed through the hall, courtesy of a _sonorous_ charm, "The day I married my beautiful wife was the happiest day of my life, and no one, no matter how much power they have, should have the right to take that from _anyone_!"

Draco growled at the back of a young woman's head and she startled, moving to the side.

"Draco!" Someone called. He whipped his head around. It was Blaise, with a cup of to-go coffee in his hand, " Glad you made it, Mate."

The young woman gave him a dirty look.

" I didn't I'm on my way to work."

" Oh come on, Mate," Blaise said with a grin, " It's the hottest spot in town. Birds and Blokes for miles. I'm like a kid in a candy shop."

" I have to take off work for the bloody charm appointment, I can't miss another day," He responded, narrowly missing the shoulder of an enormous man in a kilt who was looking down at him with a sneer.

" Granger's got you on a tight leash, eh?"

" Keep your bloody voice down, okay?" Draco growled, " No one knows about that. And if I was on a short leash, I'd be here wouldn't I?" He glanced up at the platform, where Granger was handing out flyers to Ministry workers walking by.

" My wife and I didn't get married because a law or a charm told us to, we got married because we loved each other! And the ministry can't tell us who to love!" Potter's voice rang out over the crowd and they roared in agreement.

Draco smirked up at Potter. Shows what you know.  
>" Draco!" Someone tapped gently on his shoulder. He spun around. Luna stood there in a hoodie and jeans, and earrings in the shape of two tiny globes, charmed to spin lazily.<p>

" Lovegood! Don't tell me you took off work for this!" He exclaimed.

" Well how do you do," She responded airily, " Yes, of course I'm here, Draco! I'm interviewing Harry for the Quibbler. Do you need a sign?" She motioned over the Weaselette, who was handing out large posters emblazoned with a variety of slogans.

She looked over and frowned when she saw that it was him. _You know, if people persist in doing that, I may consider taking it personally_, He thought with a smirk.

" Luna, how are you!" She came over.

" I'm fine," Luna said breezily, " But Draco needs a sign."

" I don't!" He corrected.

" Malfoy. How are you," The redhead said with strained politeness.

" I'm well, Weasley," He nodded, " And you?"

" It's Potter now," She said with an overly sweet smile, glancing up at Blaise, " And I'm surprised you're so cheerful, considering how overwrought Hermione was last night because of your fight."

Luna gasped, " What did you do to Hermione?"

" She overreacts," He grunted.

" I'd appreciate if you would just leave her alone, Malfoy," the Weaselette said.

" I didn't do anything to her, Okay _Potter_," He said defensively, " And will you keep your voice down? I doubt Granger wants anyone to find out that she's even on speaking terms with me."

" I don't believe it was your fault, but I'm sure you did something to provoke the argument, _Malfoy_," She hissed.

" You want to know what I did?" He clenched his fist, " I made her laugh. I made her laugh and so the _first_ thing I said that she didn't like put my head on the chopping block. She tell you that?"

The redhead was nonplussed. She looked at him with wide, confused blue eyes.

" Now if you'll _excuse_ me, all of you, I have to get to work so I don't lose my job," He growled, turning on his heel and brushing past.


	13. Chapter 13: Hermione

Author's Note: Short chapter, I'm sorry! It's so much easier to write Draco/Hermione scenes than ones where they're alone!

Chapter 13

That Night

Hermione threw the last file of the day into her out box. The head of magical education was attempting to standardize the curriculum of defense against the dark arts at Hogwarts, but they were having a hell of a time going through the documents from past teachers and pull out anything of use. Hermione (And many in her department) were lobbying for a more practical hands on approach, but they had letters from parents that requested a more cursory overview, or even striking the course from the books. In Hermione's opinion, just because the war had ended, they could not take a cavalier approach to education.

She's come by the office after a full day of protesting, just to go over a few notes and review the schedule, but she'd ended up staying well past closing.

Glancing down at the photograph on her desk, she sighed. It was a picture of her, Ron and Harry after Ron's first quidditch game. She watched herself wave a flag in the camera with girlish glee.

Merlin, she needed a break today. Harry was leading a march along diagon alley tonight, but she couldn't bring herself to it. Her voice was already hoarse from all their chanting that day, and her mouth hurt from smiling for photos with people.

She gathered her things solemnly and filled her bag with the last few files. She would review them in the morning.

Hermione swept out of the dark office and startled when the elevator opened before she had even pressed the button.

" Miss Granger, I thought I might find you here," It was Mr. Bourbeau, secretary to the head of the Department of Mysteries. His face, normally quite Jolly and pink, took on a sinister nature in the dimly lit elevator.

" Mr. Bourbeau," She said warily, " What can I do for you?"

" Please, join me, I'm sure you're tired," He said, sweeping his arm wide.

She stepped into the elevator slowly.

" Miss Granger, as I'm sure you know, many departments are still sorting through the mess that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named left after taking over," He began slowly, " I'm sure Education is no different."

" That's true," She agreed.

" Well the Department of Mysteries has been trying to sort and label as many of the wartime prophecies as possible. Today, one came across my desk from the Head of Our Department," He related, " Normally it is not our policy to notify people, for we receive so many prophecies of a completely innocuous nature. However, in light of recent news…"

" What do you mean, recent news?"

" Ah… the Marriage Law," Mr. Bourbeau responded.

" I read that the law was proposed in your department," She put forth.

" It was," He said, surprised.

" That's highly unusual. The Department of Mysteries almost never drafts legislation for the Wizengamot," She narrowed her eyes, " Are you saying that the law might have something to do with a prophecy?"

" I'm not at liberty to say," He answered, eyes darting.

She looked at him hard, contemplating. It had occurred to her before that the Marriage Law could have more to do with the department of mysteries than just mere coincidence. It also explained how the law had been passed so quickly, with almost no prior warning.

" But _if_ we had received a prophecy of an urgent and important nature, we would take the necessary steps to ensure the future of the wizarding world," He intoned, " And if, Miss Granger, a second prophecy of the same nature were to be brought in with your name on it, I would find it necessary to go to you and _recommend_ that you come to our offices."

" Something dangerous, you think?" She whispered.

" I'm not at liberty to say," He said stiffly, " But yes."


	14. Chapter 14: Draco

Author's Note: Another shorty

Chapter 14

The same time, across town

" Four in the corner," Blaise announced, lining up his cue. He'd asked Draco to unwind at the Leaky Cauldron with a game of Wizard's Billiards after the march along Diagon Alley. Blaise hit the cue ball and set the four spinning. It seemed as though he was about to make the shot, when the ball whizzed in the opposite direction, shooting sparks.

Blaise sighed, " Alright, the pocket."

Draco laughed, and sipped his firewhiskey, " Good luck. How was the marching today? Get some desperation dates?"

" I'll keep you posted," Blaise answered with a laugh.

The door to the bar swung open and Draco heard a few muffled cheers. He turned. It was Weasley and Potter, back from the crusades in raincoats with "No Marriage Law No Way" badges. They shook a few hands and made their way to the bar.

" Rowena Ravenclaw in a Row Boat," Draco muttered under his breath, " I never should have come here."

" What?" Blaise whipped his head around obviously, " Ah. Well… they're probably not looking for us, let's just finish the game."

No sooner had the words left Blaise's lips as Weasley locked eyes with Draco and motioned for Potter. They left the bar in a beeline for their Billiard's table.

" Merlin, look less death eater-y," Draco muttered and Blaise schooled his expression into a vacant stare, " I didn't say 'look like you're under the imperius.'"

" It's my Longbottom impression," Blaise said.

" Malfoy, it's been a long time," Potter said cheerfully, " My wife tells me you didn't make it to the protest today."

" Potter. Weasley. I had work," Draco replied simply.

" Most of us took off work," Weasley grunted.

" Well in your case Weasley, I assume when you're gone the workplace incidents go down ten-fold," Draco retorted, watching with satisfaction as Weasley's ears went bright red, " And the auror office would do anything to keep the famous Harry Potter."

" That's well out of line, Malfoy," Potter chastised hotly.

Blaise tried to break the tension by offering Weasley his hand, " Weasley, long time no see."

Weasley ignored him, and tried to stare Draco down, " Don't you believe in our cause?"

" I do," Draco defended.

" Then take a day off and come. I'll even speak to the Department of Mysteries myself," Potter proposed. Weasley nodded.

" Why are you so set on me coming?" Draco narrowed his eyes.

" Well…" Potter started, trailing off.

" We, um…" Weasley stuttered.

" Come on, I want to go home eventually," Draco hastened them on.

" They didn't mean for me to, but I overheard Ginny and Hermione talking about you," Weasley offered sheepishly, " About… the fight and... everything."

Draco was taken aback. This was not the reaction he would have expected.

" So what, are you trying to matchmake, Potter? Because that's… complete lunacy," Draco couldn't even think of something clever to say.

" No! Oh Christ No!" Harry exclaimed, " Hermione was clearly… upset that you didn't come. I think… I mean we…"

" We don't want you to get in her way, about the charm thing," Weasley blurted out.

" What? Why would I want to? She doesn't trust me, that's not my fault," Draco countered.

" Well it kind of is, mate," Blaise interjected. Weasley nodded appreciatively, which made Draco roll his eyes.

" I'm not scheming to marry Granger and lock her in my dungeons, alright? I'd marry a mandrake first," Draco promised, " And as much as I would like to come to the protest, honestly I would, there's another reason besides my job."

" Which is?" Potter asked.

" I walked through the protest to get to work yesterday and it was… difficult. For me to get through the crowd I mean. People kept stopping me. Accusing me of things. If I came, I would just be a distraction," Draco loathed having to admit this to them. Potter almost had a sympathetic look on his face. What he would give to give him a good solid punch to the jaw. He took a large gulp of firewhiskey instead.

Potter contemplated this for a long moment, " That's probably true. Perhaps you were right to stay away."

" Well wait…" Weasley interrupted, " I have an idea."

Draco shook his head, " Whatever it is, it's impossible. I can't walk into a crowd."

" At least hear him out, Drake," Blaise interjected. Draco shot him a nasty look.

" Well that's why I'm thinking you don't walk into the crowd," Weasley raised one eyebrow, " Not as yourself at least."

There was a long pause while this information was digested.

" Well you have my attention Weaslebee," Draco said finally.


	15. Chapter 15: Hermione

Chapter 15

Hermione was sweating bullets in the elevator. No one was looking at her, really, but she felt as though somehow they knew that she was doing something furtive. She'd made plans with Mr Bourbeau to come to the ministry as early as possible and avoid the protesters. After she listened to the prophecy, she would be free to come back to the lobby and slip into the protest hopefully unnoticed. Merlin, I hope I don't run into Malfoy, She thought.

" Floor One Hundred Twenty One! Department of Mysteries!"

The doors opened, but Hermione had to fight the overwhelming urge to back her way further into the elevator. She took a deep breath and stepped into a huge cavernous space, silent as the tomb. The elevator closed behind her and after that all sound ceased.

There was no atrium or visitor area, nor any helpful signs, just rows and rows of towering shelves replete with shimmering silver globes. She hesitated, trying to recall if they'd been by any offices when they'd battled here.

" Miss Granger?" A beautiful young woman with long straight shining raven hair had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

Hermione swallowed hard, " Yes?"

" I'm Laura, Mr. Bourbeau's assistant. If you'll just come this way," She gestured towards a row of indistinguishable shelves.

" Yes," Hermione repeated stupidly. Well, no wonder Malfoy wanted to come to work rather than a protest. No one at her office looked like this. Laura walked confidently on sky high stilettos straight towards the shelves. Hermione flinched when it seemed like Laura was about to risk her perfect grecian nose, but the shelf dissolved in front of them, and suddenly they were standing in a standard Ministry office hallway.

" We've had to double up on space," Laura didn't even break her willowy stride.

" I see," Hermione responded.

" Mr. Bourbeau is already waiting," She said briskly, ushering Hermione into a large, well appointed office. Mr. Bourbeau sat at an immense desk that seemed to have been carved from a single tree trunk.

" Miss Granger, good morning," He stood up and came around to shake her hand.

" Good morning," Hermione said wryly.

" I'll leave you, sir," Laura exited.

" Please, sit," He said, summoning a chair from the far corner of the room and sitting down himself.

" So… what can you tell me," She perched on the edge of her chair.

" Ah… I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that it is what you can tell me that will be valuable," He began, " Prophecies are… delicate things, requiring extreme care and caution for us to handle. There are ways for us to record the prophecies to paper but some remain… elusive."

" You mean you have not heard it?"

" I cannot. And our record taker who tried to hear it was only able to tell us a little before his memory became muddled. It's a very tricky wicket, Miss."

" But you think it may have something to do with the prophecy that led to the marriage law."

" I can't confirm that," His face screwed up in concentration, " But I can tell you that your prophecy was recorded as being made at the same hour by the same seer as another prophecy. In fact, they were made _concurrently_."

" And that means…?"

" At the exact same time. That is extremely rare. Impossible some would say, for a seer to forsee so much."

" Let's just say I've never put much by what seers say," Hermione responded thoughtfully.

" There are many who would agree," He responded simply.

" But you do not," She finished his thought.

He shook his head, " I've seen too much to say that. But nevertheless, due to the… defensive nature of your prophecy, we believed it would be best for you to have the information." He smiled warmly and unlocked a drawer in his desk. Pulling on black gloves, he waved a hand over the drawer, and a silver globe, like so many on the shelves outside, rose out of it. It shook in the hold of whatever Mr. Bourbeau was using to handle it.

" Best take it, Miss Granger," He said in a strained voice. She lunged across the table and grabbed it out of midair. Immediately, it's vibrating ceased.

She straightened up, examining it. Were it not for the situation, she could have mistaken it for a decorative glass ball, because she could sense very little magic any it.

" How do I… uh…" She felt very out of her element. This whole situation was… completely surreal.

" Just tap it," He gestured to the desk, " And listen. I'll be going over some paperwork, so don't mind me."

Feeling very stupid, she did as he asked, giving it a gentle tap on the desk. It started humming, a slow sleepy sound. It went on and on and when it seemed like that was all that was going to happen, a raspy, unearthly voice worked it's way free from the hum. It was broken, as though the person was struggling to get the words out, and quiet. But it drowned out all other thoughts in her mind:

_Two ennobled though not the equal in status_

_One of darkness and one of light_

_Divided by circumstance_

_And wrought by struggle_

_Will meet again in blood_

_Before a new day dawns_

_It being not before but not after_

_They will be separated and_

_They will by plot be married together_

_Like two warring metals_

_To make the stronger sword_

_And on the fourth risen moon thereafter_

_Will conceive a child to conquer_

_The darkness rising_

_After the dark one is vanquished_

_After the dark one is vanquished_

_Enmity will turn to true love_

_Love broken not even by death_

_Soul from soul_

_Life from life_

_Weighted but not bound_

_By the history of strife_

The last word sliced through her like a knife, and all sound seemed to cease.

" Ah, Miss Granger, are you alright?" Mr. Bourbeau sat up as though she had been standing there for some time.

" I'm… I…" She murmured.

" Sit down, let me get you a glass of water," He set his papers to the side and conjured her a fresh glass with plenty of ice. She took it gratefully and took a long drink.  
>" What did it say, Miss Granger?"<p>

" Um… did your… the person who listened to this, did they mention another person's name with mine?"

He nodded, " Well he almost said, but then he had to be taken to St. Mungos. But can you decipher it, Miss. Granger?"

" Yes, unfortunately," She responded.

A/N: Sorry for the short one! Thanks to all my reviewers, and people who follow this story, you rock! And a shoutout to all of the guest reviews that make me laugh until I fall out of my chair.


	16. Chapter 16: Draco

Chapter 16

At the same time

Draco felt like vomiting. Polyjuice a la Weasley tasted like roasted ass, and he couldn't get the taste to abandon him. He pulled nervously at Weasley's jumper, lent to him for the occasion. The bathroom at the ministry was completely vacant at this time of the morning, but he was still afraid someone would come in and catch them.

" It's like looking into a mirror," Weasley said with a smirk, " if the mirror of erised showed you your greatest nightmare."

" Afraid to have me running around with your face, Weasley?" Draco rubbed his now freckled hands together evilly.

" Yes," Weasley hissed.

" Well it was your idea," Draco smirked, " Wanted to win points with Granger in case she decides to take you back, eh?"

" Merlin, don't do that to my face," Weasley covered his eyes, " And I'm not. I just don't want her upset."

" Quit bickering," Potter said, handing Draco a pair of jeans, his having grown much too tight.

" Gained some weight, Weasley?"

Weasley's ears flushed, but Potter held him back, " Better get out of here, Ron, before someone sees."

" I'll be down at the store if you need me," Ron patted his friend's back, shooting Draco a dirty look.

" Now now, don't hold back for me, if you need to kiss, do it," Draco mumbled as he pulled on the jeans.

Weasley went bright red, but he left without a word.

" Oi, watch that stuff around him, Malfoy," Potter said with a sneer.

Draco lifted an eyebrow, " Interesting. Well I was just trying to get a rise out of him. Obviously if my best friend is Blaise Zabini, I have no problem with gay men. Or STDs."

" Just… be… less Malfoy today," Potter said in a strangled voice.

" What do you mean Harry," Draco said in his best Weasley impression. Weasley had a lower voice and more of a slow timbre.

Potter stared, " Well I was about to tell everyone Ron lost his voice from yelling yesterday, but that'd pretty decent. Just be careful around Gin, she'll sniff you out in a second."

" Where is the old Howler?"

" Watch it," Potter warned, " She's going to drop off our son at her mother's."

Draco knelt down to tie Weasley's enormous sneakers, " I saw that in the paper. Congradulations."

Potter raised his eyebrows, " Thank you."

" Boring name though," Draco added carelessly.

" It's a family name," Potter defended.

" Well you're the boy who bloody lived, you'd think you'd have a little more imagination," Draco replied.

" It was my wife's idea," Potter responded.

" Well do yourself a favor and name the next one," Draco said simply.

Potter opened and closed his mouth several times before settling on, " So what, have you picked names for your children?"

Draco rolled his eyes, " Don't look surprised."

" I'm sorry it's just… such a normal conversation to be having with such an unusual person."

" Likewise," Draco echoed.

There was a long pause.

" So what are they then?"

" What?"

" The names, of course?" Potter rolled his eyes.

Draco kept his eyes on Weasley's shoes, as if he needed an extra few minutes to tie them, " Severine, if it's a girl, Scorpius if it's a boy."

" Severine is obvious, but why Scorpius?" Potter asked lightly.

" Equally obvious. It's _not_ a family name," Draco said boldly.

" Who knew? Malfoy was looking through baby name books this whole time," Potter mused with a little smile, "And here we thought you were evil incarnate."

Draco let that fall flat on the ground, standing arrogantly, " I had a lot of time to contemplate the future in my holding cell during my trial."

Potter froze, " I didn't mean to offend-"

" Well you of all people know what evil looks like," Draco replied.

" I of all people know you're not evil," Potter responded quietly.

" Alright, I'm not Weasley, none of that 'sorry about your trial Malfoy' Hufflepuffery, Potter," Draco raised his chin.

Potter nodded, but didn't respond as Draco finished with the shoes. They exited the bathroom in silence. The lobby was quiet and nearly empty except for a few early protesters, resting on the steps up to the statue, and the Weaselette (Draco just couldn't imagine her as Potter) waiting with a few to-go cups of coffee.

" Hey," She said with a wide smile, " When I didn't see you I got worried." She stood and kissed her husband deeply. Draco could feel his eyes widen involuntarily, so he looked away.

" Gin, please!" He muttered, testing his Weasley voice.

She broke the kiss and stuck out her tongue at him, " Jealous, Ronald?"

Potter laughed, flashing a warning look at Draco, " Who wouldn't be jealous of us?"

Draco stuck out his tongue and made a gagging noise, and they broke apart.

" I got you coffee, Harry, and a caramel whipped latte for you, Ron," The redhead fussed with their cups.

Potter took the opportunity to mutter in Draco's ear, " Ron has matured since second year, Malfoy."

" Has he? Caramel whipped latte?" Draco whispered back.

" Here," Ginny handed out cups. Draco took one sip and almost had to spit it back out. Merlin that was sweet! Was he cursed to taste everything Weasley-fied all day?

" Gee, thanks Gin," He said gruffly.

" Your welcome. Hey watch my things, will you, I have to go to the bathroom now," She said cheerfully, not noticing any difference.

He held his tongue until the Weaselette was out of earshot, " Hey, Potter, switch with me."

" Keep your voice down, okay? For the next few hours, you have to be Ron at all times," Potter responded.

" Your wife didn't notice anything," Draco replied.

" Well she doesn't notice her brother," Potter replied, taking another sip of his coffee, " It's Hermione you want to watch for. I don't know why you won't just tell her."

" This isn't for her, it's for me," Draco replied, " Besides, it's just a protest, it's not like we'll have a ton of time to talk."

" Yeah, but…"

" What?"

" Well there have been some people wanting pictures with us, and because I'm usually speaking," Potter said carefully, " So…"

" Oh, Merlin," Draco moaned.

Potter had the good grace to look sheepish, " That's actually why Ron was up for this, he was a little tired."

" And when were you planning on telling me this?"

" Uh… never. We just assumed you'd have to play along."

" Well you're terrible at being sneaky about it," Draco hissed.

" What are you boys whispering about," the Weaselette called.

" Oh, I was just saying to… Harry, how I think you should speak today Gin."

" What?" Ginny shook her head, " No, I couldn't."

He tried to think quickly on his feet, " Well, everyone's been hearing from Harry about it, but some people yesterday, when we were taking pictures, I mean, asked what you thought."

Potter gave him a murderous look.

" What I think?" his wife turned pink with pleasure, " Do you think it'd be a good idea, Harry?"

A voice rang out behind them, " What would be a good idea?"

Draco stiffened. He hadn't been expecting her so soon. He turned and gaped openly; that was one of the advantages of playing a Weasley. No one expected him to have brilliant rejoiners. She was wearing jeans and a long red turtleneck sweater which unfortunately hid that magnificent bum of hers, but luckily the sweater clung all along her ample breasts and slim waist. He hoped to Salazar's Sweetheart that a few of the pictures would require him to put his arm around her.

" Ron thinks I should talk today," the Weaselette exclaimed excitedly.

" Really?" Granger looked at Draco in wonder, " that's a really thoughtful idea, Ron."

Draco forced a wide toothy Weasley smile, " And then it frees Harry up to take pictures with us."

Granger laughed hollowly, " Well I knew you couldn't be completely altruistic."

Potter looked down at the shyly hopeful face of his wife, " It you're comfortable with it, Gin."

" Just for a bit," She bubbled, " It'll be fun."

" You know I could never say no to you," Potter said softly. The Weaselette stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss.

Granger turned away, " You guys, we're in public."

" Yeah," Draco echoed.

" Is something wrong with your voice, Ron?" The redhead piped up from Potter's arms.

" Uh, all that screaming yesterday, y'know," He said slowly.

" Oh, 'Mione, I got you a coffee," the Weaselette led Granger towards her pile of stuff.

Potter whispered " If you hadn't made Ginny happy-"

" You said not to be myself."

"- I would give you a right hexing," Potter finished with a terrible scowl.

" Should have switched coffees with me, Potter," Draco turned and peeked at the women, " Why are they whispering?"

Potter looked nonplussed, " Probably you, since your Ron voice is only alright."

" Watch it, Potter. Impugn my dignity all you like but never question my Weasley impression. I won a prize at school."

Potter laughed, " Who won for me?"

" Pansy," Draco answered, " She's very good at sullen."

" Ah fifth year, what a time to be a teenager," Potter paused and looked over at Granger quizzically, " Did Hermione seem upset to you?"

" I don't know her that well," Draco made the mistake of taking another sip of his coffee, sputtering out his last words on a cough, " And I was distracted by her sweater."

Potter rolled his eyes, " You're supposed to be her soulmate, I thought you could…" Potter waved his hands in Granger's general direction, " Soulmate her, you know."

" Never let it be said that you were not the most erudite man of our age," Draco said with a sneer.

" Ron is right, don't do that to his face," Potter squinted at him, " It's very disconcerting."

" Besides, how does one soulmate Granger? Buy her a book? Take her to the library?" Draco shrugged.

Potter raised his eyebrows, " Didn't you already do that?"

" Not to romance her, it was for research!"

" Right," Potter said skeptically.

" You are trying to matchmake us!" Draco accused.

" Christ, they're coming back," Harry whispered.

" Who is christ? You keep saying that." Draco whispered back.

Harry started to bark out laughing, and Draco pounded him on the back a few times.

" What's so funny?" Granger asked in a quavering voice. Maybe Potter was right, she seemed almost on the verge of tears.

" Inside joke from this morning," He answered in his best Weasley voice, " You okay?"

" Yes… I'm just…" She choked out the last word on a small sob, a tear running down her cheek.

" It's… Malfoy isn't it?" Draco asked.

The Weaselette shot him a look and he went on to explain, " I overheard you the other night, talking about the fight. Ah… I put two and two together and…"

Potter jumped in to help, " 'Mione, we're here for you."

She glanced around, noticing the other protesters who had begun to gather, and tried to hide her head in her hands. Potter looked at him desperately.

Oh, He thought, fine I'll sodding soulmate her.

He grabbed her into a big bear hug, using Weasley's bulk as an advantage to hide her from any audience.

She took several deep breaths against his chest, stuttering out, " I'll talk to you about it later, kay?"

" Yeah, of course, it's not the time," He said stiffly. Not only was this the most awkward thing he'd ever done. But to top it off, her magnificent breasts were pressed against 'his' arm and he feared he'd soon have to take some deep breaths of his own.

" I'm okay, I'll be okay," She sniffled and wiped her tears away with her hands, resting her head against his chest on a cushion of huge curls. Automatically, he reached into Weasley's pocket for a handkerchief, naturally finding none. He rolled his eyes.

He leaned down to wipe her face with the sleeve of Weasley's cheap jumper. He was trying to convince himself not to get an erection while a woman cried over being his soul mate, when he belatedly realized she was looking at him curiously.

" Ron," She said softly.

He straightened and cleared his throat, " You alright then?"

She nodded, tilting her head while looking up at him, " You've just never done that for me before."

Draco felt a very slight surge of jealousy, and his hand pulled into a fist. It was very slight jealousy. Almost nonexistent. Nothing, really.

Because being jealous of Weasley in this situation was actually the most embarrassing thing that could possibly happen to him.

" Excuse me," Draco felt a tap on his shoulder, breaking his concentration. It was a petite, pink cheeked woman.

" Would you mind if I took a picture with the three of you."

Draco put on his best Weasley stupid grin, " Of course."

He may have spoken too soon on the embarrassment front.


	17. Chapter 17: Hermione

Chapter 17

A few bit later on

The roar of the protesters filled the lobby with soaring shouts and cries. They pounded on the marble floor with their feet and pumped their fists in the air whenever Harry made a good point or led a chant. They had loved Ginny too, who spoke simply and passionately about people making their own choices, especially after the war.

" Repeal the Marriage Law! Repeal the Marriage Law," Hermione called into the fray, passing out brightly colored fliers to the incoming ministry workers. Many of them were much older than her, and they looked at the fliers as though they were covered in dragon droppings.

An older woman stopped her, " Your generation has lost us so many people, and now you refuse to do your duty for your country."

" Voldemort lost us so many people, should we repay our country with sacrifice of our very selves?" This woman chose the wrong day to mess with Hermione. If there was ever a time when she needed to believe she could make her own choices it was now.

" When you meet your soulmate, that will change," The woman raised her chin pompously, " After all, that's why the ministry implemented the _Maritare _charm."

Hermione did not appreciate being spoken to like a child, " What about Hannah Abbott, the young woman who was matched with a death eater serving time in azkaban? What would you say to her?"

The old woman sniffed, "I would say that it isn't the ministry's fault. But it's also no reason to run away from her duty to Britain."

" It is not duty, it's entrapment," Hermione shot back.

A large warm hand rested on her shoulder, " Uh… there's another person wanting a picture. You busy?" She turned her head and was greeted with Ron's grimacing face. Photo ops were really taking a toll on him.

" See, young lady, what do you have to complain about if you've already met someone?"

Ron stiffened, " I'm just her friend, Madam."

_Madam?_ Hermione thought, _what an odd thing to say_.

The old woman waved him away, " Wouldn't your soulmate be ashamed if he knew you were here young lady? Saying bad things about him?"

Hermione ground her teeth, " I hate to disappoint you, but he would have absolutely no problem with me being here." No need to state that he would also have no problem if she were locked in a dungeon with no hope of escape.

Ron chuckled, " And anyway, who's to say it's a _him_?"

The old woman reared back in shock.

" Oh, my, how rude of me. You'd better get away as quick as you can," Ron said with a grin, " Go ahead."

The old woman raised her nose in the air and walked off in a huff.

" Thanks Ronald," She sighed, looking up in his blue eyes. Learning about Malfoy seemed to have brought out his protective side, because he was behaving very strangely today. It almost reminded her of their early days of dating, when Ron had stood by her in that emotional time.

She smiled up at him, "Ready to go take a picture?"

He stared at her blankly, as though he had never seen a smile before, " Uh…"

" Are you feeling alright, Ron?" She asked.

" Yes… yes, yeah I'm fine, just was thinking I left a croissant out on my counter this morning and it's going to be all hard."

She lowered her eyebrows at him as he led her over to those wanting photos.

" Sorry Harry's so busy," He apologized to the couple.

" Nevermind, you're just as good," The woman said, batting her eyelashes at Ron, who, contrary to his usual bumbling self, winked.

" You know it," He said, resting his hand on Hermione's waist as well as the woman's, while the man snapped a picture.

" Thank you so much," The woman exclaimed, rushing over to her partner.

" I think it's very nice that you and your husband came out to support us."

The man, an American, laughed, " Oh, we're not married. We just met."

" We were matched by the charm yesterday. I proposed that this would be a fun first meeting," The woman said with a wide smile. She was sublimely gorgeous, and it was plain to see that the man, who was good looking in a boyish sort of way, was completely dazzled by her.

" So you're not… upset by being matched?" Ron asked.

" I guess I just thought if I didn't at least give it a shot," He said thoughtfully, " I'd always wonder. I mean, she's got to be the ultimate, right?"

The woman smiled, a shyer more private thing. Maybe the dazzling went both ways.

Hermione could feel her eyes tearing up slightly.

" Oh, will you excuse us," Ron said to the couple, " It was nice meeting you."

" You too," said the woman, grabbing the man's hand to walk away.

Hermione looked at the floor, " Oh, I don't know why I'm getting so emotional. They just said what you said a few days ago."

" I did?"

" You know 'If I didn't try being with my soulmate I'd always wonder' stuff…" She wiped away a tear on her sleeve.

" And that upsets you," He remarked carefully, handing her a rumpled wad of paper napkins from his pocket.

" Well, obviously," she cried, " Malfoy's just... I just don't understand how he's supposed to be the person I've been looking for all this time. Him! The most hateful man in the world."

" I don't know about that," Ron said gently.

She blew her nose loudly, " He is! I mean I know growing up in that terrifying family would do that to anyone, but..."

" Oh, Ronald, what did you say?" The Weaselette came from behind them and patted Hermione's shoulder.

" No, Gin, it's fine. Ron's been really thoughtful, it's not his fault I'm so…" She sniffed miserably, " Emotional today."

Ron looked fully alarmed, but Ginny scowled at him, " She has her appointment tomorrow morning, have a little compassion, Ronald."

" It was some people taking pictures," He said in his defense, but he was examining his arm with interest.

" I'm fine," Hermione took a deep breath and nodding at Ginny. You are Hermione Granger, she told herself, you will figure out what to do and you will do it.

" You sure, 'Mione? You seem really shaken up," Ginny rubbed her shoulders, " We don't _need_ you here-"

" No! I want to be here," Hermione protested.

" Are you sure, 'Mione?"

" Yes! I really really want to be here," She said vehemently.

" Oh-okay, then I'm sorry," Ginny said with her hands up.

" Oh! Gin I'm sorry," Hermione's shoulders slumped, " I just got some upsetting news this morning and I haven't really had time to process it all."

" What was the news?"

" Well…"

" We're your friends! If something's bothering you, we'd like to know. Is it those dreams again."

"No," Hermione lied, " But... there was a prophecy made with my name on it, and I think it's about Malfoy."

Ginny shook her head, " No. No."

" Yes, unfortunately."

" What is it about?"

" Well I'm not completely positive, I want to sit down with it when I've cleared my head," Hermione bit her lip, " But it's about another… uprising of something evil."

" And?"

" Our child is supposed to stop it?" Hermione rubbed her eyes with her hands, " I need to listen to it a few more times, but unless I'm mistaken that's what it is."

" 'Mione!" Ginny said softly, enveloping her into a hug, " We'll sort it out together. You should have told us right away, right Ron?"

Harry shouted something and the crowd cheered.

" Ron?" Ginny broke the hug, " Huh? Where did he get off to?"

Hermione took advantage of her Friend's confusion to slip away for some privacy, " I'm going to head to the restroom, just to clean up, I'll be right back."

Hermione dodged out of the way of a big group of people and made her way over to the restrooms, wiping her tears. She just needed a minute in a stall to gather her thoughts, take a few deep breaths. As she walked past the men's room the door swung open and an older gentleman wearing pumpkin colored robes exited. She almost missed it because she wasn't paying attention, but Ron's brightly colored jumper caught her attention.

Especially when it was on Draco Malfoy.

She pushed past the pumpkin gent, pointing a finger accusingly " You!"

" Oh… I seem to have left my polyjuice potion in my _other_ pants," He said, frozen, holding Ron's jeans, " What a hilarious misunderstanding."

" It was you, this whole time," She repeated, jabbing him repeatedly in the chest.

" If it makes you feel better," He reassured, " You weren't supposed to find out."

" How on earth is that supposed to make me feel better," She narrowed her eyes, " You saw me cry. Over you."

He rolled his eyes, " Believe me, I don't think any less of you. I would cry if I got me in a charm too."

She frowned, and almost asked him if he hadn't heard what she'd just said to Ginny. But before she could, a protester with a sign that said "I Didn't Fight Voldemort for This" exited a stall and froze when he saw them there, Malfoy holding oversized jeans and struggling to hold up boxers, and Hermione teary eyed and furious.

" Sir?" Malfoy drawled, " If you'd please excuse us, we're are having an argument."

The man hurried to wash his hands, while Hermione waited, seething. Of course, Malfoy hadn't heard about the prophecy, but this random man was about to tell all his friends that she was matched with Malfoy.

" Oi, Aren't you Malfoy?" The man interjected from the sink.

Malfoy tried holding up his boxers in a dignified fashion, " I am."

The man shook his head and muttered, " I don't know how you sleep at night, all those people in prison because of you."

Malfoy said nothing, but a scowl passed over his face.

" Don't you have better things to do than harass him in a bathroom? What business is it of yours?" Hermione burst out, " Get out of here."

" My cousin went to Azkaban because of him!" The man defended.

" Well then your cousin was a death eater, wasn't he?" Hermione retorted, " No one gets put in Azkaban just because someone says their name. This isn't the holocaust."

" The what?" The man's brow furrowed.

" The bloody… Oh, get out." Hermione growled.

The man gave her a nasty look and left.

His eyebrows went sky high as the door swung shut, " Well thanks, Granger. What did I do to have this honor bestowed on my humble person."

" I just wanted to yell at you in peace," She growled.

He shook his head, " I just wanted to come to the protest. Feel like I was doing something. It was Weasley's idea to use polyjuice potion, to avoid scenes like that all over the place. But Weasley failed to mention that it was mostly a glorified publicity call."

" Excuse me?"  
>" I've taken so many pictures my mouth hurts," He rubbed his cheeks and looked at her ruefully through wispy bangs, " It's almost a relief to find Weasley stole my clothes with the potion in them. If I get asked to tell a story about <em>Potter<em> one more fucking time I think I'll scream."

" Well I'm sorry it wasn't what you expected, Malfoy, but we're making a difference the best way we know how," She wrinkled her nose, " Oh for God's sake!" She gave his boxers a quick shrinking charm, to keep him from having to hold them up.

" I was just getting the hang of them, Granger," He said with a smirk.

" A thank you might be in order," She corrected him, " You were about to drop them."

" Well maybe if I was Weasley you've let me," He muttered, waving another charm over the jeans and putting them on.

" Excuse me?"

" I'm just saying, you're putting up this big show," He sneered, " But it's patently obvious you're just dying for Weasley to get off his arse and save you."

" I don't even know where you're getting that from!" She tossed her hair out of her face.

" Oh really? All it took was me wiping your snot off your face to have you staring up at me with big doe eyes," He switched to a high falsetto, taunting her, "' Oh, Ron, you're being so thoughtful today.'" He stuck out his tongue and gagged exaggeratedly.

Her jaw dropped," Well if I'd known who it really was I'd have told you to piss off."

" Tell me, Granger, if 'Weasley' had offered to 'comfort' you today with a little fuck down memory lane, would you have let him?" Malfoy shot back.

" I would have realized it was you and said no," She crossed her hands in front of her chest.

" And if it hadn't been me?" Malfoy asked acidly.

She walked right up to him, her boots echoing through the tiled room. She stopped right before she ran into the solid wall of his be-jumpered chest. He smelled like Ron's favorite cologne, a slightly woody scent, but underneath that was just the smell of expensive soap and something warm and mouthwatering, but elusive. Fucking soulmate stuff, messing with her head. Of course he smelled good to her. Probably to everyone else in the world he smelled like shit, but to her he had to smell maddeningly delicious. It was a smell that invited her closer, up into those icy eyes and high cheekbones, and strange embrace.

" Are you jealous of Ronald, Malfoy? Because that's what it sounds like," She met his eyes, challengingly. He wasn't as tall as Ron, and she didn't have to strain her neck to look at him.

" Jealous of Weasley? You'd have to be joking," He said, looking down at her condescendingly.

" Then why do you care?" She quirked an eyebrow, " What if I do want to be with Ron?"

" Do it, Granger. Gets you off my back," He replied with a growl, " By all means, have a passel of Redheaded know-it-alls. Nothing would please me more."

" Really?" She said knowingly, " Nothing?"

She hadn't planned for it to be a challenge. But his eyes dipped to her lips, just for an instant. Heat washed over her, making her knees weak. She jumped back as though scalded.

" You're jealous of Ron," She stated shakily, turning away from him.

He laughed at her, " And you're afraid of me."

She bristled. She wasn't afraid of anything. Least of all this fancified ferret.

" Of you?" She droned sardonically, throwing a longing look at the door, " Oh, right. What could you possibly do to me? You were Ron for hours and you didn't even have guts to do anything but take pictures like a trained dog."

" Come here, Granger," He commanded, ignoring her. She caught their reflection out of the corner of her eye. His face was a dark mask of lust, sliding up and down her body. He looked at her in the mirror, and she shivered.

" What would that prove?" She stalled.

" If you're not afraid, you'll come over to me," He reasoned. His voice was calm, even innocent, but the dare was very present.

She closed her eyes and spun around, walking up to him in a huff.

" See," She said quickly, turning on her heel to walk out the door. He stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

" Now that doesn't seem too friendly, Granger? Would your groupies out there think so highly of you if they knew you were running scared from little old me?" He intoned, coaxing her back so she faced him. She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

" I'm not afraid of you," She snarled.

" Now weren't you going to put me through the ringer for the polyjuice potion?" He prompted her, his hand tracing lazy circles along her arm.

She rolled her eyes, " I'm not going to yell at you up close like this."

" I don't believe you have anything to yell at me about," He responded placidly.

" You deceived me," She chastised, " You could have mentioned that it was you, but you deliberately led me to believe- will you stop touching me?"

" Why, can't you concentrate, Granger?" He inquired evenly.

" Of course I can," She replied, " It just makes me uncomfortable."

" Okay, what about this? Does this frighten you?" His hand slid up her arm and along her shoulders, then down her back at an agonizing pace to land in the small of her back. She gasped.

" I'm not afraid," She kept her voice remarkably calm, glaring at him.

" I can see that you are, so I'll set your mind at ease," He said smoothly, his voice vibrating through her, " I came to this protest for me, for what I wanted. I didn't tell you, because I didn't want you to think I was seeking your approval."

She regarded him warily. His face was open and honest, but his eyes, dominated by hungry black pupils, made her hesitate.

" Because I'm not," He continued, " Seeking your approval, that is. And as much as I enjoy throwing you for a loop-" His hand stroked up and down her back slowly, pressing her into him. His other hand came up and cradled her cheek.

" And I do, Granger. Watching you turn red with rage when I tease you… I like that very much," He growled, "As much as I want to press you back until you put that gorgeous ass up against that counter, and kiss that begging mouth of yours-"

He broke off, and his hands dropped from her, leaving her curiously cold, " I know when I'm not wanted. And I also know that as much as I want to mess with your head…." She flinched.

He stepped back and regarded her thoughtfully, " If this law is not repealed, I have a chance to start over, and find someone who makes my shitty life more bearable by being in it. I want that much more than I want to play with you. I can't promise I won't tease you, but I wouldn't get in the way of you getting what you want either. So you have nothing to fear from me, Granger." He concluded by turning away from her and disapparating.

Hermione reeled back for a second, resting her hands on the counter. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it was going to leap out of her chest. She started into her brown eyes and tried to steady herself with facts.

_Malfoy is a racist fuckhead_, She told herself, _who once called you a word so foul and derogatory people died so it would never be used again_.

_Who you have to conceive a child with, probably_, her insistent logic reminded her.

_Malfoy is a man who makes dirty comments about you at every turn_, she thought vehemently, _who escaped Azkaban through likely underhanded means and had the testimony of his trial sealed from public record_.

_You almost kissed him_, her logic said.

_Oh, shut up_, she thought, exiting the men's bathroom with a frustrated sigh.


	18. Chapter 18: Draco

Chapter 18

Meanwhile, in Wiltshire

Draco apperated into the lounge that led to his bedroom and immediately threw Weasley's enormous jumper over his head. He'd left Weasley's shoes in the bathroom, but that was probably for the best, as the mouldy trainers had certainly seen better days. He hoped the janitors incinerated them. He considered doing that himself to the jumper and jeans. No, to really stick the knife in he'd send them back with a brand new set of expensive trainers, show Weasley who the bigger man was. He smiled at the thought as he peeled off his socks.

He threw his wand on the coffee table and struggled with the buttons of Weasley's jeans. His hands were shaking, he realized with a laugh. He picked up his wand and locked the door with a flick of his wrist. Best not let anyone see him like this. He worked the button loose, dropped the jeans and boxers, and made his way naked into his bathroom. The grey tile was cool on his bare feet, a relief since his whole body seemed to be on fire. He reached into the generous glass walled shower and turned the water to it's hottest setting, grabbing a fluffy black towel and putting it outside the door.

He stepped under the hot spray with a gasp. It almost hurt, stinging his skin in tiny pinpricks. Draco closed his eyes let the water run over his face. As soon as his eyes shut-

There she was, in the bathroom, his hand on her cheek, looking up at him with completely unconcealed wonder and lust.

He opened his eyes with a sigh, leaning his left hand on the tile, and letting his right hand fall to his erection. He knew from experience it wouldn't take long to finish thinking about Granger, so he stared at the grey tile while he stroked for a moment before closing his eyes.

He imagined her looking up at him with those enormous brown eyes as she stepped closer, allowing him to slip his hands under her tight sweater and remove it. She pulled off his hideous jumper in a lacy black bra that cupped her breasts judiciously, presenting them in the best light.

He bent and kissed her neck, imagining the soft breathy moans that would echo in the palatial ministry bathroom. She fumbled with Weasley's jeans button and boxers and then it was her hands on him, stroking slowly along his cock.

He rested his hands on her waist, stroking them up and down from her sensitive neck to the gentle curve of her arse. He could feel her begin to struggle with her impatience as she found his mouth with hers, their tongues meeting in battle. Merlin, but she tasted good. Or, he imagined she tasted good, like peaches and cream. She groaned when he put his hands on the side of her face and backed her against the counter, just like he'd promised.

Draco bit out a curse as she increased her pace, " Fuck, Granger." She broke the kiss and looked up at him shyly, her cheeks pink.

_Can you not handle this, Malfoy? I've barely touched you_, he imagined her teasing him.

He gasped and opened his eyes, almost falling into the tiled wall. He grabbed his body wash, taking deep breaths as he soaped up and rinsed off. When he was sure he had himself under control he closed his eyes again.

Now they were on his bed, and she was tangled up in the pale grey sheets, eluding him with a giggle. Her hair wild, she rolled away from his searching hands. Finally, Draco got a hand on her waist and pulled her to him, under him. Their mouths met hungrily, and she wrapped her hands around his neck while he pressed her into the bed. Her legs crossed behind his lower back and she ground against him.

" Granger," He whispered into her neck, breathing in her clean soapy scent, " Please?"

She moaned, grinding against him again.

He knew from experience the fantasy went no further. Escape, kiss, and grind, tease, kiss, grind. When it became too much, it felt like his heart was going to beat itself out of his chest. He gasped, and came, keeping his eyes closed until he'd calmed down.

Fuck, he wanted to imagine really fucking her. He wanted to imagine licking her from head to toe, giving her something to really yell about. Wanted to erase every other fantasy and fill his mind with crystal clear images of her gasping, panting, writhing.

He sighed, and grabbed his shampoo, vowing to try again another day.


	19. Chapter 19: Hermione

Chapter 19

" Read it again, I think I have something," Ron was pacing back and forth behind his mother's squashed and comfortable couch, where Ginny and Hermione sat.

Ginny complied, reading out the prophecy again in her loud, clear voice while bouncing Jamie on her knee.

Ron kept pacing for a long moment, before coming around the couch and slumping into a worn out wing back, " No, I've got nothing. I wish we had more information."

" You're telling me," Hermione concurred, taking a healthy sip of the wine Ginny had poured. They'd set to the task as soon as Hermione had had time to explain everything that had happened.

" Are you sure it's Malfoy?" Harry asked hopefully, for about the fifth time.

" This, with the _Maritare_ charm? It's too much to ignore," Ginny shook her head, " It's him for sure." She set the paper on the couch and rubbed Hermione's free hand for comfort.

" There's no point wishing for what might have been," Hermione said with a quaver in her voice,

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out. She was exhausted. She wanted to wrap herself up in bed with a drop of dreamless sleep and her cat. She wanted to rewind her life to Sunday and live out that last day in relative peace. She would take one more day of ignorance over this knowledge.

" It's the '_darkness rising' and 'love broken not even by death' _that really shakes me. Is voldemort coming back? Or is there something else out there?" Ron's head drooped almost to his chest, " I thought this was over. I thought it was over."

" As long as there's power, someone will try to steal it," Harry injected softly.

" I just feel so helpless," Ginny said, looking at her dozing son with apparent anxiety.

She put on her best brave face and gave them a wan smile, " We might not be able to say it out loud yet, but we all know what needs to be done. If I need to… marry Malfoy and have a child to save us from something awful… I mean if it's so important that the ministry is in an uproar… I'll do it. Of course I will."

" No!" Ron protested.

" I have to," She responded quietly.

" What if it's a trap?" Harry countered.

" Harry," She looked into his green eyes, pleading, " It's not. You can't fake these things, faking a prophecy and a Maritare charm, it's not possible."

" I know but-"

" But you're my friend and you don't want me to suffer, I know," She said softly, " I have to, Harry. How do you think the world would be if someone tried to convince your Mother to not have you? Because that's what we're dealing with."

Harry looked at her and the blood drained from his face, " I know."

The silence was palpable. Hermione found herself absently playing with the stem of her wineglass, staring at the plate of sugar cookies Mrs Weasley had laid out for them. Hermione had always imagined the home she brought her child into to be full of laughter and joy, like the Burrow. She'd imagined coming home from work to a generous husband and precocious children who would greet her with smiles and stories and life. She'd imagined that all the fear from the war would melt away after years of milestones and messy rooms.

Now she was actively contemplating bringing a child into a house sure to be full of hurled insults and cold silences, and a side helping of an uncertain, dangerous future.

It was Ginny who finally broke the silence, " Alright, no more going over and over it. Let's move on to what we can accomplish. How to go about it."

" Well it's obvious," Ron interrupted, " Tell Malfoy, get married and get on with it. The trouble of it is that magical marriages don't allow you to split up, but you might be able to work something out."

" Can we trust him?" Hermione broke out of her stupor.

" What do you mean?" Harry furrowed his brow.

" I mean, should we tell Malfoy about the prophecy," Hermione stated slowly, taking another sip of wine.

" Well, why not?" Ron said with a defeated smile, " It's not as if we have another choice."

" I could get him to marry me another way," Hermione countered.

" What do you mean?" Ginny asked, kissing Jamie's sleeping face.

" I don't trust him. I could tell him we have to do it, and he could run for the hills," Hermione reasoned.

Harry shook his head, " So you just wouldn't tell him?"

" I just… If I'm going to do this, I need to be sure he's not going to bolt before the…" She gulped, " Task is complete. I mean it's Malfoy."

" So what do you propose instead?" Ginny asked levelly.

" Well…" Hermione hesitated, but forced it out, " It's not like I can go up to him and say 'Oh, nevermind about all that other stuff let's get married.'"

" Right, so?" Ginny prompted.

Hermione knew she was blushing, but forged ahead anyway," See, Malfoy has been hitting on me. In a, uh, strictly sexual sense. I think if I, um, entered into a sexual relationship with him, I might be able to… You know… before the marriage law comes into effect."

" Ew," Ron responded simply, screwing up his face, " 'Mione that's disgusting."

" I don't think that's a good idea," Harry rubbed his eyes with his hands, " I think if you told him, Malfoy would help you. I mean, I'm not about to name a child after him, but he's not that bad. Like today, he was a prat, but he wanted to be there and he held his tongue."

" Oh, right, so I guess he wins soulmate of the year," Hermione said sarcastically.

" I just mean it's about him too," Harry defended, " It's unethical."

Why was Harry defending Malfoy so much? He'd even helped him to come to the protest. Hermione narrowed her eyes and chose her next words very carefully.

" It's not as if Malfoy's ever cared about ethics. I just can't trust that he'd do the right thing," Hermione argued, " If I knew him and trusted him, maybe I could tell him."

" That's true," Ron nodded, " Malfoy's not predictable."

Hermione found herself unexpectedly remembering their moment in the bathroom when Malfoy had touched her cheek. Not predictable was an understatement.

" Well… that's right…" Ginny echoed.

" I want it to be said that I do not agree with this," Harry stated.

" I know," Hermione murmered, " But I don't see that I have a choice."

" But you'll have to sleep with Malfoy. And not just once," Ron shivered exaggeratedly.

" I already would have to, we would be married," Hermione replied.

" You could just sleep with him the one time four months after you get married!" Ron protested.

" You don't get pregnant if you just have sex one time, Ronald," Ginny said with an eyeroll.

" And I also need him to marry me first, remember?" Hermione reasoned.

" So date him!" Harry objected.

" That doesn't make any sense," Hermione countered, " He would never agree to date me, he told me himself."

" I feel like we're talking in circles," Ginny said calmly.

Harry deflated in his seat, " I'm sorry 'Mione, I'm just worried about you. I also don't… I don't think Malfoy is as bad as you think, and I'd hate to see you go about this in the wrong way."

" What do you mean?"

" I mean I think you can trust him, but you have to make your own decisions," Harry offered, " So I'll support you."

Hermione smiled, " Thank you, Harry."

" So you'll just go up to him and say ' Let's get busy?'" Ron asked.

" No I'll say we should relieve the tension between us, so we can move on," Hermione disputed, standing up to pace.

" Then when you've gotten close enough you'll be able to move to dating, right?" Ginny said approvingly.

" Oh that's not going to work," Harry interjected loudly.

Jamie fussed in Ginny's lap, " Harry! You woke him up!"

Ron stood up, offering his arms, " Give me." Ginny handed over her son and sassily turned towards her husband.

" Well it worked on you," Ginny raised her eyebrow sassily.

" You- what?" Harry sputtered.

" Oh come on," Ginny grinned, doing an over-the-top impression of herself, " 'Take all the time you need to get over the war, Harry. We don't need to date. But it would be awfully nice if you came over.'"

Harry could only gape in response.

" Hook, line and sinker," Ginny crowed, " It will work, and if Malfoy gets suspicious, just distract him with your feminine wiles."

Hermione blushed, " I mean… I think I can do that."


	20. Chapter 20: Draco

Chapter 20

The next morning

The waiting room at the Office of Marriage and Family that they were waiting in was approximately eighteen feet from the door to the lobby to the door to the offices. From the chairs on one side of the waiting room to the other was approximately twenty feet, so with the chairs, twenty four. Minus the coffee table in the center, there was about eighteen feet of movable space in that direction, if he had to guess.

" Malfoy," Granger growled, " Will you stop that incessant pacing."

" What is taking so bloody long?" Draco circled the coffee table, picking up a two years old Witch Weekly just for the pleasure of throwing it back down again. Granger flinched, and eyed the other waiting witches and wizards carefully.

It had been an hour and a half since 10:20. Actually, an hour and thirty two minutes.

" There must have been some sort of problem, we should try to be patient," Granger retorted. He rolled his eyes and began to pace lengthwise.

" Patience is not my foremost virtue," He replied.

" I know that," She muttered, leaning back in her seat.

Confined spaces reminded him of the holding cell he'd occupied during his trial. That combined with the fact that he had to wait was a lethal combination. He could take the length in ten paces. He concentrated on counting them, and feeling the plushy spring of the carpet. One, two, three, four...

Granger's hand shot out and took his arm, pulling him towards the chair next to her.

" It won't be much longer," She whispered, " People are looking at you like you're going to crucio them."

He took a tight breath and sat down next to her. Maybe he could count seconds.

" Do you want to sexually harass me? It will pass the time," She offered.

" Well I can see that you wore those pants I enjoy so much, Granger," He responded, letting his eyes wander over her long shapely legs, " But not right now."

" How about I sexually harass you?" She muttered sardonically.

" I'd like to see you try," He answered with a chuckle.

" Your arm is very muscular," She commented, " I bet you could lift me straight off the ground."

" Oh, come on, that's barely sexual," He refuted, " That's something you might say to your uncle. Come on, now, give it a real try."

She blushed becomingly, " I like it when you pace around like a predator, Malfoy. What do you plan to do with your prey?"

His eyes glinted, " A little rough around the edges, but improved."

" I do have a very good teacher," She glanced at him, but she didn't seem to be able to meet his eye, " I bet you could show me more than just talking about it."

" Ah, you're interested in practical application," He joked, " Well, you've come to the right place."

" I haven't seen enough of your practical application to know whether or not that's true," She shot back saucily.

She was just trying to calm him down, rationally he knew that. But irrationally, his trousers suddenly felt uncomfortably tight.

" Granger, Malfoy!" A disembodied voice called out, " Please enter and go to Room Eight. Irene Galloway is ready to see you!"

" See?" She said brightly, standing and gathering her bag, " No time at all."

It was only when she got up that he realized she'd been rubbing his arm to settle him, like one might do for a spooked horse.

" It would have been no time at all an hour and thirty seven minutes ago," He scowled, taking up his plain black suit jacket.

He followed her into the hallway, mostly because she'd gotten there first, but also because it was the best vantage point to admire her behind. Her leggings were complimented (in his opinion) by a gauzy longer blouse that, while probably considered modest, allowed him to see straight through to her high rounded arse.

He really was wearing very tight trousers. He ought to give them away, really. They certainly felt like they no longer fit.

The door to room eight, a tiny square with a filing cabinet and a plain wooden desk, was propped open, and inside stood a brittle older woman, and a young clerk.

" I'm Irene Galloway, the Head of the Office of Marriage and Family," She offered her bony hand.

" Delighted to meet you," Hermione said cheerfully, shaking first, " I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Draco Malfoy."

" Ms. Galloway, a pleasure," He intoned, taking her hand. Granger shot him a look, though what it meant he wasn't sure.

" I'm glad I met you both," She said briskly, turning to the young clerk, " Kaminski, I'm using your desk for the moment, I hope you don't mind."

" Not at all, m'am," The clerk waved them into two uncomfortable wooden chairs while Ms. Galloway sat at the desk.

" Close the door, Kaminski," She commanded.

" Wait!" Draco interrupted, " Could you leave that open, please?"

" Mr. Malfoy, these meetings are highly confidential," Ms. Galloway said instructively, " Kaminski, shut the door."

Draco tightened his hand into a fist and held it tight.

When the door was shut, Ms. Galloway smiled at them, " So sorry for the wait, two of our clerks are out of the office today. Now I understand there was a little… hiccup with your status."

" Yes," Granger said politely, " I performed the Maritare charm about eight years ago."

" With Mr. Malfoy as the result?" Ms. Galloway asked.

" Yes," Granger answered.

" I'm not unaware of the confusion that this must have caused. To have a decorated war veteran matched with…" Ms. Galloway met his hard stare and trailed off, " So I'm sure you want to be assured of the results of the charm once and for all."

" Yes, of course," Draco responded tightly.  
>Ms. Galloway nodded deeply, " Then, Mr. Malfoy, If you'd be so kind?"<p>

Kaminski handed Draco a slip of paper with instructions for the proper stance for the spell (Steady wand, held rather high, relaxed pose) and the spell itself.

Draco stood awkwardly in the few feet of space between himself, the desk, his chair, and the expectant clerk, who stood with a ready quill.

" It will appear on the palm of your wand hand, be sure to show it to Kaminski before it fades, Mr. Malfoy," Ms. Galloway added.

" Thank you," He responded. He let out a tight breath. This all felt rather foolish, so he could feel himself roll his eyes when he said the incantation.

" Maritare Aspiritus!"

The tip of Draco's wand gained a dim silver light. It crawled down his wand and up his arm like a clinging vine, and when it reached his chest, settling into his veins, he was instilled with a deep and satisfying sense of calm. He breathed a deep breath, letting his magic flow all around him, through him. In his wonder, he caught Granger looking at him, biting her lip in nervousness.

_Please, let it be anyone else_, he thought fiercely.

The feeling faded as soon as it had come, leaving him desperate for it to come back. He opened his palm, taking his wand with his other hand.

" Hermione Jean Granger," The clerk announced as he wrote on his clipboard.

Draco hadn't realized what slim hope he'd been holding onto until it was gone. He sat back in his chair stiffly.

Ms Galloway nodded, " Now, there's no need to be upset. The Ministry is not looking to chain our populace. This is merely a formality, and it sets many people's minds at ease."

" What about the girl who got a prisoner in Azkaban," Draco muttered.

Ms. Galloway raised her nose imperiously, " That is exceedingly rude."

" Did the charm set her mind at ease?" He ignored her.

Ms. Galloway rose at the desk, " I don't know what you're complaining about, Mr. Malfoy. It's Granger who must be angry that she would be matched with a..."

" A what?" He challenged.

" You little... you should be in azkaban you little worm," Ms. Galloway hissed, " Who knows what underhanded means you used to get-"

Granger's hand closed about his arm before he could even react, " Ms. Galloway, his behavior is no excuse for accusations."

" Miss Granger, I'm surprised you even see it fit to defend-"

" Have a good day," Granger said with finality.

She jerked Draco up and led him past the stunned Kaminski out the door and into the hallway, where she let him go.

" That was so unprofessional," She muttered, " That old bat!"

When they'd made their way into the lobby he stopped her before she walked too far ahead.

" Ah… this isn't easy to say," He began.

" You've fallen in love with Kaminski the clerk, oh I could tell from the moment you locked eyes over his clipboard," She jested.

He chuckled, " I just wanted to say thank-"

" It's fine," She interrupted, " I just can't stand other people berating you in public."

" Because that's your job?" He quipped.

" Absolutely it is," She tossed her hair, " And I'm very good at it."

" Well, thanks anyway," Draco said, " And for stopping me from putting a jelly legs curse on that old bag."

" Well, she said thoughtfully, " I just put a hand on your arm, which certainly wouldn't have prevented a well deserved curse."

He laughed, " What Slytherin thinking!"

" Maybe you're rubbing off on me," She said simply.

Oh, Granger, you have no idea.

"This is a strange situation," He raised an eyebrow, " I thought you would have been rather furious with me for leaving you high and dry yesterday. Trying to get on my good side?"

What she said next could not have surprised him more, " In a way…"

" Ah…" He began, though she'd thrown him off the rhythm of their conversation, " Why? Need someone to do their excellent Weasley impression for a children's party? My rate is two Galleons an hour."

" Well Harry's son is turning one soon…" She mused, " But no."

" If you're trying to throw me off, Granger, you've succeeded," Draco pushed back his hair, which was in need of a good trimming charm, and noted that Granger's eyes followed his movements, " I would have assumed you would be quite put out with me."

" Well the way you said what you said was… upsetting," Granger began carefully, " But what you said made a lot of sense."

He was taken aback, " Well thank you."

" However, after some contemplation, I've found that I do not agree," She continued.

" You don't agree," It was meant to be a question but it came out as a statement. What he'd meant was that the flirting was harmless, Draco really had no idea what there was to disagree with. She patently did not enjoy it. Even today, she had termed it "sexual harassment."

" I don't," She said matter of factly, " You said you were not wanted. I realized that that wasn't true."

Draco's brain stopped working. Perhaps forever. He would have to signal to her that she needed to contact St. Mungos because he was hallucinating.

She didn't notice, but just continued saying completely outrageous things, " I realized that history, not actual distaste, was what was holding me back from what I want."

" W-What is that?" Draco knew he sounded completely stupid, but the witty repartee part of his brain was the first that had stopped working. Along with the part that processed new (insane, impossible, couldn't be happening) information.

At this she blushed slightly, but continued in her same factual tone, " I want to get whatever it is between us out of my system. And from what you said yesterday, I think you do too."

That was what finally got his mind started, " Are you saying you think we should…"

" I'm saying I would like to sleep with you Malfoy," She said simply.

" Are you alright in the head? I don't think you know what you're saying," He shook his head.

" I know exactly what I am saying. I've thought about it, and I've found that is something I want," She responded.

" To fuck me?" He exclaimed, " No, you haven't thought it through."

" I have."

" But… why?" He sputtered.

" Because I'm very attracted to you, and if I did not I suppose I would always sort of wonder. I wonder about it now," She said as though that was a completely normal and not earth shattering utterance, " And sense there's no way I'm going to forget who I am and who you are, so there's no chance of it getting in the way of my future relationships."

" You don't think your future husband would object to this?" Draco objected.

" He needn't know," She waved him off, " Besides, you're my 'soulmate.'" She said the last word with barely suppressed sarcasm.

Draco could do nothing but stare. She looked and acted like Hermione Granger, but it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that someone was playing a trick on him.

" And so you want to fuck me? I'm sorry, Granger, but I just don't believe you," He responded, peering at her closely, " Weasley? I know you had extra polyjuice potion. I don't know what you expected would happen but this is outlandish, even for you."

" I'm serious," Granger said blushing.

" Say something Grangerish then?" He challenged.

" I'm Hermione Granger, therefore everything I say is, by definition, Grangerish," She sighed exasperatedly. For some reason her frustration sent a jolt of heat to his already uncontrollable erection. Brilliant. He was attracted to people who were annoyed by him. That was going to work out wonderfully for his life plan.

" Well then… say what you want," He demanded.

" I already said so," She protested, " But you're being so suspicious is putting me right off the concept."

" Say it, Granger," He crossed his arms over his chest, " If you want it, you'll say it."

She took in a little breath and looked away. A little bubble of hope he hadn't known about burst in his chest.

And then she looked straight up at him, and stepped into his personal space, and it swelled again.

" I've decided I want to… fuck you, Malfoy," Her cheeks were stained red, possibly permanently, " I want to know what it would be like, and satisfy my curiosity."

" You are a naturally curious witch," He responded breathlessly.

" I am," She echoed, " What about you, Malfoy?"

He gave a strangled cough, but she didn't move a muscle.

" I am trying to think about my future," He said carefully, " And yours. I don't want to do something I would regret just because of some misplaced lust."

" You don't have to regret it. Just a short… interlude," Her voice was plain and sincere, so he shouldn't have been so intensely aroused by them, but he was. Of course he was.

" I still don't understand why," He resisted fiercely.

" Because my reaction yesterday was so powerful," She hesitated, " It surprised me."

" But that doesn't answer why!"

" I feel like we're talking in circles here, Malfoy," She stepped back to a more polite distance and he instantly wished that she hadn't, " You can choose to believe me or not. But I've laid my cards on the table. What about you?"

" I'm trying to be a good guy here," He protested desperately.

She shook her head, " Does it seem like I want a good guy right now? I might have to get married because of some idiotic law, and I feel… _trapped_. I want something exciting, and dangerous. Maybe even a little stupid."

He eyed her warily.

They were standing a courteous distance apart. To any outsider it might have looked like some light bickering, nothing out of the ordinary. People milled around them as though the sky had not just fallen down about their ears. An older woman dropped her spectacles, and picked them up and no one knew that _Granger was propositioning him for sex_.

" Just think about it, Malfoy. If you're interested, owl me," She was almost businesslike, giving him a civil nod, which for some reason was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen.

And then she walked swiftly into the elevator, leaving him in the lobby of the office of Marriage and Family completely aroused and totally perplexed.

_Well_, he thought ruefully, _one point to Granger_.


	21. Chapter 21: Hermione

Chapter 21

Just afterwards, in Kennington

Hermione's hands didn't stop shaking until after she'd come home, made a cup of cocoa, and settled on the couch with crookshanks to watch a few episodes of mindless soap operas. She'd tried to go into the office, but made the executive decision to go home when she realized she was incapable of holding a quill. Her boss was on holiday anyway, having married his _Maritare_ match after knowing her only two days.

Hermione closed her eyes and laid her head on the arm of her overstuffed dark grey couch. That was the most nerve wracking thing she had ever done. And that included searching for horcruxes.

Somehow, it was a relief that he hadn't immediately agreed, because she wasn't sure if she could go through with it all. Saying she would do her duty to save the wizarding world was all well and good, but telling Draco Malfoy that she wanted to fuck him was something else.

But it also wasn't a relief.

Why had she told him to owl? She should have pressed him to decide right then. Now she was stuck in the uncomfortable position of having to wait for his note.

At least she'd kept her cool, for the most part. And she hadn't had to resort to any overt tactics to distract him.

She should get up. Maybe go back to work, or drop by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and see Ginny. She should but… instead she just wrapped a throw around herself and cuddled into the couch. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, perhaps a nap would help her relax.

Nightmares of the war had been coming back with increasing intensity, and she didn't want to rely on dreamless sleep potions to help her. Maybe a different time of day would ward off the memories. After the war, Hermione's dreams and flashbacks had been so detrimental that she'd taken some rest at St. Mungo's for a few weeks.

She thought she had mastered herself, but since the morning of finding out about the marriage law, she hadn't had a proper night's sleep.

Crookshanks sighed quietly, a sweet little huff.

" I couldn't agree more," She responded.

She closed her eyes and snuggled into her couch. She breathed in the lingering scent of her hot cocoa and tried to clear her mind of stressful worries. Thinking about the prophecy would only succeed in making her anxious.

She thought of the satisfaction of opening a crisp new paperback, Mrs. Weasley's bread pudding at Christmas time, and was Malfoy going to respond? He'd been flirting so heavily, he'd even told her that he wanted to sleep with her.

And she'd put herself in the uncomfortable position of waiting for him to decide. She should have been more persuasive, talked about what he would get out of it.

But that could have come off as begging, and she would never beg Malfoy for anything.

She gave up on trying to fight worrying, and turned on the television again.

_Hermione's head was swimming as Malfoy laid her gently on her bed. It was turning dusk outside her room, and out the window she saw the tangled branches of trees silhouetted black against the sky._

_He was kissing her neck, sending shivers of sensation up and down her spine. She let out a shaky breath and he chuckled low in his throat and licked her. She squeaked._

" _So sensitive, Granger," He said quietly, placing his body on hers, her legs coming around him instinctively. He rested between them, and though his erection should have been a shock, she actually found it strangely thrilling. Her heart lurched in her chest awkwardly as he kissed her, running his tongue along the seam of her lips until they opened._

_Their tongues met, tentatively, and he tasted like the Maritare charm, dizzy and still all at once. He ground against her, and sparks of hot arousal went off, shooting down her legs and making her weak with desire._

_She sighed and he groaned, trapping her head between his hands and kissing her harder, his tongue sliding along hers. She tried to wrap her arms around his neck, realizing belatedly they were tied to the posts of her iron bedframe with something soft and silky. She could have easily freed herself but instead she moaned again, encouraging him._

_He broke the kiss and looked down at her. His lips were swollen like ripe fruit, and his silver eyes roamed over her freely._

_He slid his hand from her neck down to the swell of her breasts, a question in his eyes._

" _Yes," She answered on a breath, reveling in the hot brand of his hand on her body._

_He traced a swirling, teasing path over her breast, down over her stomach, and then back up again. Then he started over, torturing her with a smirk._

_When he'd teased enough frustrated moans out of her, he finally (finally) pulled her underwear down her legs at a torturous pace. Completely naked in front of him, she blushed._

" _Merlin," He said running his hands along her legs, " Granger you're going to be the death of me._

_She started to smile, but he lowered his head to the place between her legs and after that all she could do was moan. He teased her more, licking delicately along the folds of her pussy, playing with her clit, not seriously but enough to make her crazy._

_He lifted his head and looked up at her with catlike grey eyes, " Beg me."_

_She bit her lip, " No."_

" _I won't ask again," He said darkly, returning to his teasing._

" _You didn't ask."_

_He traced over her and she gasped, but she would not beg. She closed her eyes and concentrated on silence, even as he became more pointed in his attention. He was pushing her just to the tipping point. She bit her lip harder._

_Her heart pounded in her chest, drowned out all other sounds with it's relentless tattoo._

" _Malfoy," She sighed, giving in, " Please."_

" _Please what, Granger?" He growled, stopping._

" _Oh, please please make me come please."_

_He devoured her and she had to bite her tongue to hold in a scream._

" _Who's making you come?" Malfoy prompted._

" _You are," She choked out._

" _Who?"_

" _Draco Malfoy," She responded, " You."_

" _Open your eyes, Granger," He commanded. She complied._

_Her blood ran cold. A thousand death eater masks filled her room, some with glittering, hungry eyes behind them, and some empty, hanging on the wall, above her bed._

" _Granger," His voice called her silkily._

_She glanced down. His hands pinned her thighs to the bed, they were shaking so._

" _No, no," She begged._

_His eyes flashed silver like a saber. He licked up along her and she came apart, completely, screaming out into the silence as a thousand eyes watched._

Hermione woke with a start, almost falling off the couch. The telly blared innocuously, and Crookshanks hissed at being disturbed. It was afternoon, still, she must have succumbed to her exhaustion. She glanced out the window and saw only rooftops and a sliver of grey sky, threatening rain.


	22. Chapter 22: Draco

Chapter 22

The same time, at The Ministry of Magic

" Can I ask you a question, Lovegood?" Draco said quietly. They were working at the labels again, bent over a long table together.

Luna carefully lettered a pair of names before answering, " Sure, why not?"

" What… if someone were to tell you that they wanted to start a… they wanted to sleep with you just for… that they wanted to sleep with you for a while…" Draco had been entirely without words since Granger's pronouncement. He'd been trying to find a way to ask Lovegood all afternoon. In frustration, he scribbled out a label in record time

" Do you mean Hermione?" Luna said sweetly.

" No," Draco lied.

" Really?" She responded lightly, " Because usually when you're talking about a someone recently you mean Hermione."

He was astonished, " I don't think I talk about her that much."

Luna put on a much-too-deep-grumble, " 'I'm Draco Malfoy and _someone_ doesn't think I care about protesting the marriage law,' ' _Someone_ was flirting back with me, although they just won't admit it to save face.'"

" First of all, I do not talk about Granger that much," Draco protested, " And second your impression really is coming along nicely."

" Really?"

" Yes, I felt very perturbed. Not quite insulted yet, but you'll get there," He assured her.

Luna just smiled, " No I meant 'Really, you don't think you talk about Hermione that much?'"

" I think I talk about her… the right amount," He defended, " Besides she's part of the problem, so of course I'm talking about her!"

" Which is?"

" The marriage law of course. A year may seem like a lot of time, but it's not," Draco took out his frustration on another label, almost piercing through the paper with every stroke of his quill.

" Hermione didn't do that though," Luna reasoned, deliberately slowing her quill to counter his speed.

" Yes, but she certainly makes it a lot more bloody difficult," He gritted his teeth, " How much easier it would be if my soulmate was some nice girl who didn't know anything about my past. Like a foreigner. Or a muggle or something."

" Yes," Luna added, " Or if you weren't so attracted to Hermione."

He hesitated, before replying, " Well it certainly doesn't help, I'll tell you that much."

" And Hermione wants to date you? What's so wrong with that," Luna asked innocuously.

" Well ignoring that everything is wrong with that, she doesn't want to date me, she wants to have a fling with me, I guess," He explained.

" Why?" Luna asked gently, " Not that you're so un-flingable, Draco, I'm just surprised."

" I was too. I don't know, she said she was attracted to me and she wanted…" He hoped that by repeating it out loud it would start to make any kind of sense for him, watching her reactions carefully, " to do something reckless, I guess, because she can't control her future."

Luna stopped writing labels and sat back in her chair, thinking.

" It must be really hard for her," Luna mused at last, tapping her quill on her lips, and getting a tiny feather caught in her sparkling green lipstick.

" What do you mean?"

" She's used to being able to change something if she doesn't like it," Luna scrapped a label and started again, " But the Ministry hasn't even acknowledged the protest."

" Ah," Draco echoed, " She's frustrated."

" So you're thinking of turning her down?"

" Well that's what I was really asking about," He answered sheepishly.

Luna " Well what do you _want_ to do?"

" I want to sleep with her, obviously," He answered, " She said she wanted to get it out of her system, and I agree."

" But…?" Luna prompted, her doll-like blue eyes boring into him.

" But… I mean I don't know what's wrong exactly, but I guess… something just feels risky about it," He ran a hand through his hair, " Or odd or something. I thought at first that she was playing a trick on me, but at the same time it feels serious."

" I don't think she's playing a trick. Hermione…" Luna paused to think, " Hermione likes to think of herself as very logical and careful, but she's human like everyone else. It's a difficult situation, so it makes sense to look for an escape."

" But actually wanting to sleep with me, doesn't that seem very extreme. Couldn't she just take up dragon training?" He exclaimed.

" Ah, Draco, isn't that what she's looking to do?" Luna punched his shoulder softly.

" It's more like dragon charming, in this case," He added with a wink.

" Dragon wrestling," Luna said with a knowing smile.

Draco laughed, and instantly tried to quiet down. Something about the Department of Mysteries inspired silence, although there was no rule against talking.

After his chuckles died down he pondered Lovegood's hypothesis. Was Granger trying to wrangle him? Or just blow off some steam about the marriage law? The Granger he knew was level-headed and not prone to reckless, useless endeavors like flings with former enemies.

Although when she punched him in third year, that hadn't been very cautious or level-headed.

Draco could only conclude that Granger's motives were elusive unless he knew her better or had more information. An embarrassingly obvious conclusion, but one he had to come to.

He'd been contemplating in silence for a long time when Luna interrupted.

" The advice I'd give, Draco," She said thoughtfully, eyeing the ceiling and playing with her miniature snitch shaped earrings, " Is that if you want to have a fling with Hermione, you'll likely not have a chance again. I know it isn't a part of your 'plan' but… the only thing getting in the way of what you want is that you think you shouldn't want it."

" That's true," Draco replied.

" I once had a chance to be with someone I really liked, and I didn't take it. I regret that much more than my failed relationships," Luna said simply in conclusion.

" You know, I know who you're talking about, you could just say it's like you and Dean Thomas, Lovegood," Draco smirked.

" Oh really, are you comfortable using people's names instead of 'someone' now?" She sang innocently.

" Merlin, was that sarcasm?" He gasped exaggeratedly, " Somebody brew an anti-fainting potion, I fear I may go under!"

" I'm perfectly capable of sarcasm if I so wish, Draco," She scolded airily.

He chuckled, " I'm rubbing off on you, Lovegood."


	23. Chapter 23: Hermione

Chapter 23

That night

Hermione rested her back against the solid weight of her marble countertop while Ginny stepped a pot of mint tea.

" Thanks for coming, Gin, I hope I didn't disturb your evening too much," Hermione worried.

" No, I'm do for a girl's night anyway. Harry will be fine with the baby for a few hours," Ginny grinned toothily, " And anyway, I have to wait with you til Malfoy replies."

" He might not," Hermione protested weakly.

" If he said what you said he said, I'm sure he will. He might even want to meet up tonight," Ginny winked, " If so, just let me know and I'll get home to my boring married life."

" But he didn't seem too keen when I asked him," Hermione bit her lip.

" Did he seem confused?"

" Yes," Hermione crossed her hands over her chest, rubbing her arm nervously.

" Then at least he hasn't dismissed it," Ginny said with finality, " Now, what's for tonight?"

Hermione smiled. Since she had moved to muggle London, she'd been able to bring some comforts from home back, including but not limited to, the television. She found that if she kept magical objects far enough away from it and didn't go overboard with her spell work in the living room it worked decently enough. She wasn't a big television fan, but it was comforting in times of stress, especially today. And ever since she'd had a no-wands movie screening for her friends, Ginny and Ron were always dying to come over and watch movies.

" A classic, _Pride and Prejudice_," Hermione smiled.

Ginny set her wand on the counter and bounded into the living room with her tea, " What's it about?"

Hermione followed, " I don't want to spoil it if you haven't read the book."

Ginny pouted, " Just a hint?"

" Well… it's about a young woman named Elizabeth Bennet," Hermione tried to boil the story down while placing the DVD in the machine, " Who had five sisters, and they must marry well because their family… oh just watch it."

Just as the menu began to load, there was a scratch on the window. Hermione froze.

" Aren't you going to get it?" Ginny asked, wrapping her stocking feet in Hermione's cozy throw.

Hermione steeled herself, " Of course."

" Mind if I start the movie?" Ginny bit her lip nervously.

" No, not at all," Hermione pressed play, and, with gritted teeth, made her way back to the kitchen.

The owl this time was a plain brown barn owl, but it bore the same green ribbon, and had the same training. As soon as she removed the note, it flew away.

The parchment was, impossibly, longer than last time, and Malfoy's message was shorter.

_What do you say to some ground rules, Granger?_

_-Malfoy_

_PS Would also be open to calling them " Rules for Granger, who cannot keep her hands off me."_

A bubble of dred formed in her stomach despite the butterflies. She found a spare quill in her junk drawer and sat down at the kitchen table to reply.

_Ground rules seem like a very practical idea. Go ahead._

_-Granger_

_PS Watch your ego, Malfoy, it's very unattractive. If your head gets any bigger you won't be able to fit through the door to your mansion._

There, she was forthright and strong, just like she'd planned.

_First, not too public. Would hardly be seemly to have this leaked to the gossip pages._

_-Malfoy_

_PS The door to my mansion, among other things, is bigger than you might think._

She blushed bright red and furiously scribbled a reply.

_Agreed._

_Second, obviously we're free to break it off at any time, and no reason is necessary._

_-Granger_

_PS Could you have possibly gone for a more obvious joke?_

She realized that she'd forgotten her tea. She padded into the living room to retrieve it.

" How's it goin?" Ginny raised an eyebrow saucily.

Hermione's blush returned with a vengeance, " We're setting up ground rules."

" Ooh, fun! Remember though, keep it light, not like you're hiring an accountant," Ginny hinted, " Shouldn't be hard. I hear Malfoy's a bit of a jokester now."

" What?"

" Nothing," Ginny corrected, " And no full sex the first time."

" Why?"

" Because he won't come back, silly," Ginny said with an eye roll, " Is Mr. Darcy the hero? He's got such a broody look."

" Just like Harry?" Hermione joked.

Ginny laughed heartily, " I can't say I don't have a type. Now go back to your dirty letter, stop wasting time with old married ladies like me."

" Just forgot my tea," Hermione grabbed her favorite plain blue mug off the table and scurried back to the kitchen. She wasn't sure the level of levity required.

Malfoy had replied while she'd been gone.

_How do you propose we go about meeting up? Your place, or mine, or a third location?_

_-Malfoy_

_PS My cock is just enormous, Granger. Massive. Unwieldy, even. And it has wards around it so no one can open it, and it swings both- Hang on, I'm thinking about the door again._

Hermione chuckled quietly before she remembered herself.

_A third location seems more likely to attract attention. Why don't we alternate homes?_

_-Granger_

_PS That was actually funny, well done._

The reply came back almost instantly.

_Agreed, extremely practical solution. I vote your place first._

_-Malfoy_

_PS I like it better when you scold me than congratulate me, Granger._

Did he mean he wanted to meet up now? Hermione had never had a one night stand, let alone a booty call. Of course now that she had one it was someone she wanted to give a good kick in the shin.

_Third, meeting places shall be alternated between homes._

_Forth, this is only sex, not dating. A little obvious but it had to be said._

_-Granger_

_PS Well then do something to make me scold you._

Hermione's ears burned. Her cheeks burned. Actually it felt as though her whole body was on fire. If he wanted to come over should she let him? Of course, she'd have to wait for Ginny to be gone. She glanced down at herself. No, she wasn't dressed properly or ready for any of that sort of thing. She was in her embarrassing polka dotted pjs and a ratty robe.

The worst part of all of this was that it was just humiliating. Humiliating that she had to worry over her clothes, humiliating that it was Malfoy she was worrying for. As if he really cared. She was just a warm body to him, while she had to scheme to lure him in.

_Fifth, every time we're at my house, I get to fuck you from behind so I can watch that gorgeous ass of yours._

_-Malfoy_

_PS. How was that?_

Hermione bit her lip hard.

_Sixth, if one of us would like to meet, they should contact the other with a reasonable advance of time._

_-Granger_

She wrote simply, waiting on the edge of her seat for a reply.

_What, no scolding or comeback, Granger? I'm disappointed in you._

_Seventh, You can never disappoint me again._

_-Malfoy_

She took a deep calming breath, and then wrote her reply.

_I just thought nothing needed to be added to the fifth rule, because it was fine as is. And as for the seventh rule, that goes double for you. Goodnight Malfoy._

_-Granger_

She set her quill down and looked at the paper. Just when it seemed like he was never going to reply the last words appeared.

_Tomorrow at 9, Granger. I won't disappoint you. Goodnight._

_-Malfoy_

The bubble of dread in her chest formed a solid mass of humiliated anxiety.

Because the most humiliating thing of all had to be that as much as it frightened her, the attraction was real. Hermione was brave enough to admit it. What she would do with it she had no earthly idea.


	24. Chapter 24: Draco

Chapter 24

The next night, Granger's Flat in Kennington

Draco's steps faltered as he made his way up Granger's staircase. She'd sent his address that afternoon but he'd found himself unsure of how to get there without being completely awkward. He wasn't sure if she had a fireplace, so he wasn't able to properly floo over, and apparating into a girl's flat seemed rather ungentlemanly. So his solution was to try to walk up, but with her door now in sight, it seemed like a stupid idea. If he hadn't been so hellbent on staying coolly aloof he could have asked her the best way.

At least he looked decent. After work, he'd changed into a soft silk shirt with a relaxed collar and black trousers. He wasn't normally able to dress up properly, he went out so infrequently to nice places anymore.

He took a deep breath and strode up to the door, knocking before he had the chance to hesitate.

The door opened, revealing a smaller than expected living room, decorated simply, and even a little spartan. Granger stood, mouth agape. She was wearing tight black exercise pants and a (Merlin help him) dark purple camisole that framed her fabulous tits to perfection.

" Did you… _drive_ here?" She asked, incredulous.

He reeled back a little, " No, I apperated in the alleyway, of course."

She shook her head, " I have a fireplace connected to the floo network. _Of course_, I have a fireplace, Malfoy."

His eyes glinted, " You're so good at small talk, Granger, as a guest I'm completely at ease. May I?" He gestured past her to her living room. She shook her head again but moved aside.

The room was dominated by a large grey couch covered in a soft looking fabric. The walls were plain white, although a few photographs, some muggle, some wizard, hung above the couch. There was a small cabinet with an ominous black box on top of it, a short bookcase stuffed with books, and a squat blue armchair. Past the couch there was a dark hallway that seemed to lead to her bedroom, and to his left was the open door to an empty kitchen.

" Not too much magic in here, please?" She said briskly, walking around the simple square coffee table and perching on her couch.

" I thought I'd save that for later," He quipped, " Or did you mean with this wand?" He held his wand aloft.

She demured, " Would you like some wine?"

" Wine, Granger? Trying to get me drunk so you could have your way with me?"

" I thought it would relax us, break the tension a little," She responded, a blush staining her cheeks.

" Do I make you nervous, Granger?" He asked, his voice a low growl.

She blushed a little, but looked up at him brashly, with a defiant little tip of her chin, " Yes, but you're nervous too. Just look at the way you've dressed yourself."

" What's wrong with how I've dressed?"

She swept her hand out, showing him the room, " Just where did you think you were going?"

He laughed, a little chuckle, " I'm sorry, Granger. I just didn't want to disappoint. I know how much you admire my good looks."

She looked away from his face sadly, " I just meant you needn't wrap the package so prettily."

" Why, Granger, are you saying you're in a hurry to see what's underneath?" He dramatically put a hand to his chest, " So forward."

She smiled at that, " I'm going to go get the wine."

" I'm going to make you laugh again, Granger," He followed her into her spacious, plain kitchen, leaning on the small dining table as she retrieved the wine and two glasses.

" Not possible," She stuck out her tongue at him, " For that, you'd have to be funny."

Draco felt a little of his nervousness dissipate. This wasn't quite the awkwardness he'd been expecting. They hadn't progressed past their normal banter, but at least they weren't sitting in silence.

He raised his eyebrow, " Would you rather I have come in the door and immediately begun to tear your clothes off?"

She froze like a deer in the headlights, halfway between inserting the corkscrew, " Wow, I bet you never thought you'd say that, huh Malfoy."

" I'm nothing to you," He countered, " No matter how long I live, nothing I say will be as surprising as you saying you want to fuck me. I could live a million years, and it would still astonish me. I've been walking around in a haze trying to figure out if it's real or not."

She uncorked the wine and poured two precisely equal glasses, " It's real. I'm not sure how I feel about it being real, but it is."

" I'm still not sure, Granger, I think you might have to prove it to me."

She blushed, but her voice was cross, " Stop teasing, Malfoy."

He smiled at her, and her eyes widened in surprise, " No, Granger, I don't think I will."

" Why not?" She asked warily.

" Why, because I'm testing a theory of course."

She sipped her wine, " What theory?"

" My previous theory was that teasing and flirting only annoyed you, but since you've said you wanted to fuck me, I'm revising my methodology," He said proudly.

She rolled her eyes, " I never should have told you that. Look at what a fat head you're getting."

He smiled indulgently, " Protest all you want, you want to fuck me."

She blushed, " Okay, stop saying 'fuck' so much."

" Oh, I'm sorry, Granger, would you prefer I use another term?" He took a step forward so he was much closer. She smelled the same as before, just the soft scent of soap and bare skin, perhaps a hint of lavender.

Her hand played with the stem of her wineglass, " I'm not sure."

" Come on, Granger, you can do better than that? What happened to the saucy minx who agreed to my fifth rule."

She laughed nervously, " I'm sorry, I'm just… it seems very real, now that you're here."

He was taken aback, " That's true it does."

She gazed up at him for a second longer, and then looked away, " Do you want your wine?"

He laughed, " Still trying to break the tension."

" Well, yes That's the whole reason I had you over to my house," She responded, turning back to him with devilish eyes.

" Oh, dear me that's right, Granger, I'd almost forgot," He mirrored her expression, " I thought I was here to exorcise a pixie infestation."

She grinned sexily, setting down her wine, " Can't it be both business and pleasure, Malfoy?"

" Oh, my lady disdain," He sighed, catching her and pulling her close, his hand curling around her waist, " Thou hast been practicing thy flirting, and verily, it is paying off." She blushed bright red and her mouth formed into a surprised little o.

Without preamble, he kissed her. Her lips were soft and full, and slightly parted. He ran his tongue just along the curve of her lower lip and had to fight himself from moaning. She tasted… not at all like he expected, though she was delicious just the same. Her mouth was sort of sweet, and tempered with the wine, but something else about it was… almost comforting and thrilling at once.

He swept his tongue into her mouth, and she sighed, her hands winding their way around his neck. Their tongues explored, tasting and touching gently. She ran the tip of her tongue along his upper lip and his knees felt weak.

He pulled her more tightly to him, felt her press against his aching erection. Suddenly, he wanted to fall to his knees before her. And at the same time he felt a surge of heady power, as though he were standing twelve feet tall.

" See," He pulled back and looked down at her wide eyes and well kissed lips, " I don't need wine to break the tension."


	25. Chapter 25: Hermione

Chapter 25

In the kitchen

Hermione was trembling so hard she was afraid he was going to notice. Her fingers were threaded tightly through the silken strands of Malfoy's hair and she was holding onto him for dear life. His lips brushed against hers, and the taste of him was dizzying. She'd known of course, logically, that they would start with kissing. But she hadn't thought about kissing him, what it would really be like, until they were, and he was.

Merlin, he was good. Not too wet or sloppy, nor too stingy, and yet as much as he gave, she wanted more. She pulled him closer, stepping back until her lower back rested against the kitchen counter. He was pressing into her, leaning over her, arms around her. It was as if the whole world had just come down to this moment, this man, and she couldn't see anything else.

Merlin, he was good. She would have to fight to keep herself on track.

She had talked the whole evening through with Ginny, planned as much as possible: relaxing with wine, and moving on when she was tipsy enough to be a little less nervous. She wouldn't go too far, just far enough to make him want more. She tried to fix this in her mind, tried to be sensible and remember that they couldn't have sex tonight.

If you make it a one night stand, he won't think about coming back, Ginny had cautioned.

But then he did something devastating with his tongue, tracing a the corner of her mouth with his tongue, and butterflies erupted in her stomach. She made a tiny half sigh and caught herself from moaning.

He pulled back, kissing along the sensitive line of her jaw hungrily.

" What… no response Granger?" He asked, nipping her neck and sending shivers along the length of her body.

" Wh-what?" She breathed.

" I said," His voice rumbled through her and she had to close her eyes, " I don't need wine to break the tension."

She pressed tighter to his body, thrilling at the sensation of his erection pressing against her stomach. Perhaps she'd made a mistake earlier making fun of his clothes. If he'd been wearing jeans, she wouldn't have been able to feel this.

" And then you say," He licked along her neck down to the curve that led to her shoulder, " ' Malfoy I am offering you wine, the least you could do was take it. Ugh, rude ferret!'"

She smiled and trailed her hands from his shoulders to the front of his shirt, beginning to unbutton at the neck, " And you would say, 'Granger, if you give it, I'll take it.'"

" And you would roll your eyes at me," He gently sucked at her neck and she had to pause to cling to him, because her knees were threatening to give out beneath her, " And say ' With all of that brainwashing to be the perfect pureblood, you'd think you would be a better guest.'"

A thought that had been at the back of Hermione's head suddenly surfaced, and she responded without thinking, " And you wouldn't defend yourself, you'd just defer to a joke."

He pulled back and looked at her, surprised. His hair was mussed into a fluffy halo, and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned. Underneath she could see a tantalizing display of his slightly muscular chest.

" I'm sorry," She started, shaking her head, " That was really uncalled for, I just, um, I wasn't thinking."

" No," He put a hand up, " It's fine, it's fine."

She bit her lip, and pulled him closer, " I'm still sorry." She looked up into his eyes through her lashes.

" I'll note for next time that kissing your neck makes you surprisingly honest," He replied with a little smirk, capturing her mouth again and pressing her into the counter suddenly. Heat curled in her lower stomach and she moaned.

Hands shaking, Hermione unbuttoned his shirt and spread her hands over the broad expanse of his chest. He was so warm she thought for a moment that he might have a fever. Her fingers combed through the smattering of hair that led in a trail down to the waist of his trousers.

He rewarded her with a low hum in his throat, running his hands from her waist to the hem of her camisole and removing it without hesitation.

He kissed along her jaw again, his voice setting her chest vibrating " I'll have to test my theory, however."

He nipped along her throat and she sighed softly, " What do you mean?"

" If kissing your neck really makes you honest," He growled in her ear, his hands finding the clasp of her bra and releasing it.

He didn't let her respond, because he gently ran his tongue along the outside curve of her ear.

" So, Granger," He intoned quietly, " We'll start with an easy one: What's my name?"

He kissed her neck and she exhaled, " Malfoy."

He smiled against her neck and she felt a chill on her nipples. He'd somehow removed her bra and his fingers played over her waist teasingly and then teased lower, playing with the waist of her pants.

" Let's try another: What's your favorite sweet?" He sucked at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Electric fireworks skittered down her legs and she hooked her fingers through his belt loops and pulled him closer.

" S-sugar quills," She answered.

He hummed, " Ah, a secret treat for class? How surprising, Granger." He looked up at her with glinting silver eyes and leaned down to tease her nipple with his teeth. She threw back her head and reveled in the wild sensations gripping her body.

" Let's see, Granger," He blew softly on her nipple and she struggled along his belt with her fingers until she found the buckle and began to undo it.

" How about this one: Who's the better kisser, me or Weasley?" He continued, planting his hands on her waist, " And be aware, I'll know if you're lying."

" I- I can't remember what Ron kisses like," She stuttered desperately, dying for him to touch more than her waist.

He smirked, " Well look at that, I didn't even have to kiss your neck." He rewarded her by skimming her hips with his palms, snaking along lower until his right hand rested over her pussy, just playing with her. She moaned, louder than she thought she would.

" Are you really about to be arrogant, right now?" She asked with a little pout, trying to undo the button of his trousers.

" Hold on til I get my shoes off, Granger," He smirked, breaking away from her. She almost growled in frustration.

He tried to be smooth but she giggled as he awkwardly tried to kick off his shoes and almost fell over.

" I've never seen you like this," She said through her giggles, " The high and mighty Draco Malfoy…"

" Has really tight shoes," He finished, grinning, putting his hands to his waistband and pulling his pants off, " And what about the high and mighty Hermione Granger that _has_ to have me naked, hmm?"

He stood slowly and came towards her, his body fairly glowing in the dim kitchen light. He had the body of a marble greek statue, all perfectly sculpted muscles and long graceful limbs. He caught her watching and cocked an eyebrow and she blushed.

" Oh no, Granger," He framed her face in his hands, " No, don't do that to me."

" What?" She said in an urgent whisper.

" Blush," He growled.

" Malfoy, what do I do to make you tell the truth?" She questioned in a quavering voice.

He smiled, " Isn't it obvious? I'm a man like any other."

She giggled and trailed a hand along his abs towards his boxers, " Oh are you? Well that's easy."

He laughed, a rich sound, " What did you think I was? A bogart?"

" It's not out of the realm of possibility," She answered his laughter with a giggle.

" Well, I'll prove to you I'm not," He responded.

He kissed her then, his lips playing over hers so softly it was like a melody, like a song she hadn't heard in a long long time. She wasn't expecting kisses like that.

The playful mood faded. Her hands scrolled along his back, feeling the tautly held power in the muscles under her palms.

He pressed into her, pushing down her yoga pants with huge, warm hands. Was he shaking? She was shaking. He nudged her pants and panties down so that they pooled around her ankles. His kisses trailed down her jaw, down past her neck, along her breastbone. He lingered at her breasts, tongue dancing over her nipples while his hands rubbed admiringly over her behind.

There was too much, too much, all at once. The rasp of his stubble rubbing against the sensitive skin of her breast, the silky strands of his hair winding their way around and through and over his fingers, the trail of hot, wet kisses along her stomach. She fell back against the counter with a sigh as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

He paused, his hands tracing over her inner thighs, making her knees weak with desire, " Is this okay, Granger?"

" What?" She shook her head, " _Please_."

He chuckled, darkly, " Is that a yes?"

" You know very well it's a yes," She responded.

" You Gryffindors, so impatient," He intoned.

She thought for a second that he was going to tease her more, but he licked, starting at her thigh and running up to the juncture of his thighs. He stroked gently and then pressed his lips to her and she almost felt like crying. He stayed there a long moment, his tongue purling over her in long strokes. Heat crashed over her in waves.

" Wait," She said softly.

He pulled back, " What?"

" No, it's not bad I just…" She bit her lip. Ginny had been very clear, and she had agreed, that sex the first time would be too much. They hadn't really even started.

But he was right. She was impatient.

" I want to… I don't want to wait," She explained haltingly.

He looked up at her from his knees, a wicked grin playing over his lips, " But I've barely started, Granger. You have no idea how much I've wanted to do this."

" But-" She hesitated.

He rose and smoothly lifter her, settling her on the counter and resting his body between her thighs, " You owe me one, Granger." He growled in her ear.

She laughed low in her throat and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, joking, " We can call the whole thing off, you know?"

" Oh, no, Granger, you _owe_ me," He drawled, kissing her deeply, " Do you want to move to the bed?"

" No," She sighed.

He kissed her neck, nipping and sucking her hard, " Let's try that one more time: Do you want to move to the bed?"

" What's wrong with here," she answered, throwing her head back again.

He kissed her neck again and tipped her face back towards his, " Nothing. Nothing at all."

" So why are you stalling?" She challenged.

He pulled her to him, grinding into her, " I could respond, but then we'd be here all night. And if I'm gonna be here all night, I want to be _right here_."

She pushed down his underwear with trembling hands while he kissed her, again and again, narrowing her focus until there was only him and them. She summoned her wand wordlessly and performed a quick contraceptive charm as his tongue was drugging her senseless.

When he finally pressed inside her, she shivered, and locked her legs behind his back. His hands cupped her bottom, pulling her firmly to him, filling her so completely she ached.

She breathed shallowly into his mouth while he smoothly rocked deeper and deeper into her. Her whole body felt like a heartbeat, she was throbbing and she forced herself to breathe, to still herself. He kissed her, first the top lip and then the bottom, before his tongue swept into her mouth and he groaned.

She pulled him closer with her legs and he broke their kiss with a smile.

" You taste so fucking good," His voice was low and strangled, " So fucking, fucking good. I could taste you for days, I could fuck you… I could fuck you for days. I… days and days and days..."

Her chest constricted, and she felt as though she was being squeezed tight in a vise.

" Don't hold back, then," She answered, resting her forehead against his.

For a long moment they just looked at each other, her legs locked around him, arms locked around him. His eyes were like the anchor, she couldn't look away.

He picked up pace, taking long strokes as he thrust into her. She responded, grinding down against him, reveling in the feeling of his hands trembling on her waist, her breast, her shoulder, her cheek.

He stared into her, his eyes heavy and black with desire, " You're going to kill me, you're so good, Granger. You're a danger to my health."

She cried out quietly when he reached between them to play with her clit.

" Tell me how it feels," He begged, kissing her neck with hot, drugging kisses.

She bit her lower lip, confessing, " You make me dizzy."

" Why?"

" B-because I want you so much."

He thrust into her hard, " Yes, yes. Say it again, Granger."

" You make me dizzy, I want you so much," She whispered, " I want you so much I can't think about anything else."

" Yes," He groaned, his head jerking to the side as a wave of sensation poured into her and she cried, " Yes."

She came at the same time as him, pulling him closer again and whispering it until it all became too much, " Want you so much… so much..."


	26. Chapter 26: Draco

Chapter 26

The kitchen, still

Granger let out a long expected breath and collapsed against his chest, her hair gently brushing his chin. He took his hand off her clit and held her close, eyes shut.

He felt like he'd been struck by lighting. And also like he'd just had incredible sex with a gorgeous witch with the most delectable, incredible ass he'd ever touched, and he would very much like to go to sleep.

" Oh," She sat back suddenly, her hands leaving his neck, " We're still in the kitchen."

" I asked if you wanted to move to the bed," He responded with a smile, " Twice."

" You did?" She looked up at him with bewildered brown eyes as she tried to smooth her hair in vain.

He laughed, " I believe your exact words were, 'what's wrong with here,' or it might have been 'I don't want to wait.'"

She blushed scarlet right up to her hairline, shyly crossing her arms over her chest, " Well if I don't remember it, I'm sure it didn't happen."

He played his hands along the flair of her hips, " And yet it lives on in my memory, clear as day. As will many other things, including your beautiful tits."

She pouted, about to retort, so he kissed her heart to stop her mouth, nudging her lips apart so he could taste her again. If he had a million years, he couldn't describe the taste, and quite frankly he'd rather spend a million years kissing her.

She broke the kiss, resting her forehead on his shoulder, " Oh no, I forgot a disease protection charm."

" I'm clean, Granger, I promise."

" You were tested recently?" She asked, eyes full of anxiety.

" Two years ago," He replied.

" But what about since then, what about-"

He cut her off, " I haven't had sex with anyone since my trial. Well, except for you."

" Oh," The worry faded, and was replaced with a rising guilt, " I'm sorry."

" I just got to fuck you on your kitchen counter, no need to apologize, Granger," Draco waved her off, " I assume you were tested recently."

" A few months ago, with no one since then," She bit her lip.

" Well then we're fine," He responded lightly, pulling away and feeling cold for the loss of her body heat. He stood with his hands on his hips.

She glanced at him and blushed, " Will you put something on?"

" What? I was just making sure you got a good look," He grinned.

She rolled her eyes, " Why would I want a good look _after_?"

He held a hand over his heart, " Fine, I'll put something on but only because you have wounded me so deeply I can no longer be vulnerable in front of you." He grabbed his shirt and shrugged it on with a wicked grin.

She smirked, her hands crossed over her chest. Merlin, she had a perfect body, all curves and no angles. But now he knew for certain that it was also about more than that. Granger was more than he'd imagined in bed. In his fantasies she was active of course, but in real life she was fucking brilliant. But if he'd had doubts before he knew now that she wanted him.

" I wish I had a camera with me," He grinned, " So I could see you smirking naked on a kitchen counter anytime I wanted."

She hopped off the counter and began to put her pants on, " I would not let you take a picture of me anyway, Malfoy."

He pulled her back into his arms so he could look down at her gorgeous breasts one more time, " I'll have to just remember really well."

She looked like she had something to say, but instead she worried her lip with her teeth.

" What's wrong? Not regretting anything, are you?" He rested his hands on her shoulders.

" Oh, no," Her eyes swept up to his, " Not at all, I was just thinking about all I have to do tomorrow."

He smiled, bending down to grab his underwear and pants, " Typical Granger."

She frowned and looked around in a circle, " Where did my bra go?"

" I vanished it," He explained.

" You _vanished_ my bra?" She whipped to face him, her hair going everywhere.

He pulled on his trousers, " Was it an important bra?"

" It was new, and very expensive," Granger said crossly.

" Was it? I didn't see," He quipped.

She made a tiny huffing noise, " The effect is utterly wasted on you."

" Oh, the effect," He intoned, " Was not lost. I merely ignored the behind-the-scenes work."

She blushed, " You really do like breasts, don't you?"

" When they're as significant as yours, I do," He replied.

" Well," She said shyly, " Thank you."

" So," He stole a tiny kiss, " I hope you don't mind if I go?"

" No, no, that's fine," She answered with worried eyes, " You don't have to stay."

He put on his shoes and tried to button his shirt at the same time. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to go about doing this, what was correct or incorrect. The last relationship he'd had was during the war, and the last purely sexual relationship he'd had was approximately never.

For all the confidence he mustered, he wasn't quite sure how to go about this. Sleeping over seemed inappropriate, and yet he had stalled all he could.

He pressed a lingering kiss, " I'll be seeing you."


	27. Chapter 27: Hermione

Chapter 27

Two days later, at the Department of Magical Education

Hermione took the paper her boss had just handed her and briskly put it behind her folders, furiously taking notes on the small measure the head of the department of underage magic had sent their way.

" And the last item on the agenda was just brought to me this morning," Mr. Schultz said briskly, " It seems that the minister has been getting some bad press of late with the new marriage law. To show that he is investing in the future of British children, he's personally donating several million galleons towards the refurbishment of Hogwarts, and he would like the department of education to host a gala to invite other wealthy families to donate. I'll pass this off to you, Granger, and hmmm… Greengrass, why don't you help."

Hermione glanced down the table at Daphne Greengrass, who nodded serenely in her direction and pushed her glasses up on her nose.

Hermione didn't remember much about her from school, she'd seemed like a benign presence at most in slytherin. Now she was one of their processors. But of course her background made her an obvious choice for this project.

Hermione smiled back politely.

" I suggest that you begin with reserving the great hall at Hogwarts, so you can settle on a date within the next month," Mr. Schultz said archly, " Alright, meeting dismissed, have a good night, everyone, hope you had a good weekend."

Hermione gathered her papers carefully, her cheeks burning. She'd had a very, very good weekend. After Malfoy had come over Saturday and given her the best orgasm of her life, she'd had the best sleep of her life, sleeping even past eleven, which she hadn't done since before the war.

Then she'd had a wonderful lunch with Harry and Ginny at a cafe near her house, where they'd discussed strategies for the protest. Even though they were now sure that the marriage law had something to do with a prophecy, Harry didn't think it would be right to drop the protest right away. And then she'd had a wonderful evening in with crookshanks and a trieste on Media in the Magical Community.

Although it still slightly irked her that Malfoy had left, if he'd wanted to stay she wasn't quite sure what she would have done. But that was the only dark spot in an otherwise wonderful weekend.

" Granger," Daphne Greengrass stood a respectful length away, " I look forward to working on this project with you."

" Same, Greengrass," Hermione finally got all her folders ordered correctly, and smiled up at the willowy blonde, " Did you have any ideas?"

Greengrass tapped a quill against her perfectly lipstick-ed mauve lips. " A few. I was thinking white tie, a sit down dinner- something elegant and seasonal, like duck perhaps- dancing- of course, perhaps a seasonal theme- something romantic…"

Hermione held up her hand, " Wow, lots of ideas. Why don't we walk and talk. I just need to go to my desk and get my coat and a few things, then we can leave together."

" Right, of course. I'll get my coat and meet you at your desk," Greengrass said coolly, allowing Hermione to go out into the hallway in front of her and splitting off towards the processing room.

Hermione strode past a few conference rooms and into her cozy office, letting down the folders and parchments in her inbox. She turned to get her coat and then turned back, something on her desk catching her eye.

A plain interdepartmental parcel sat in the center of her desk innocently, but as she moved closer she realized what was so unusual about it. The label, reading "Hermione Granger, Assistant to the Head of Magical Education" was filled out in green ink.

Cautiously she unwrapped it, calming the nervous voice in her head that was still on constant alert for sinister plots. Inside however, she found a beautiful bra in a deep rich shade of pink, with white lace trimmings. It was sexy but understated, and utterly perfect. On top sat a sugar quill with a strip of parchment taped to it.

_Granger,_

_You didn't think I was just a heartless bra-vanisher did you?_

_I want to see you again. How are you fixed for Wednesday night?_

_Your Horny Soulmate,_

_DM_

" What's that?" Hermione jumped and clutched the note to her chest, staring at Greengrass, resting against the doorframe, " A secret admirer?"

" No," Hermione faltered, but decided to tell as close to the truth as she could, " Just a fling, really."

Greengrass shook her perfectly coiffed head, " Well you're lucky. No fling I've ever had sent me underwear from la perla."

" Where?" Hermione furrowed her brow.

" It's a lingerie store, extremely expensive," Greengrass supplied, " And that is definitely the bra I've been lusting over for months. Maybe you think of it as a fling, but he doesn't."

Hermione laughed, " I just think he's trying to show off."

Hermione looked at the bra lying so beautifully in the plain brown parcel wrapping with a little jolt of fear or glee she couldn't say. Of course, it should please her that the plan seemed to be working so soon. He was remembering little things she said, and even given her an intimate gift, albeit a replacement.

She should be pleased, but instead she was completely terrified.

" Are you ready to go?" Greengrass prompted.

" Yes, just let me…" Hermione awkwardly settled the package on top of her folders and tried to stuff the lot of it into her work back.

" Allow me," Greengrass waved her wand insouciantly and the package folded back together, the crumpled note flying out of her hand to go back inside.

" Thank you," Hermione said awkwardly, zipping her bag and grabbing her coat off the back of her chair.

" Don't mention it," Greengrass replied breezily, " So tomorrow I'll send a proper letter to the headmaster requesting the great hall. I was thinking perhaps Rosine's Day?"

Hermione kept her face bland and simple, noting to herself to look up Rosine's Day later, " Of course."

" It's a little romantic, of course, but it's got a stronger theme than the party's actual theme of 'the Ministry fucked up with the marriage law and now we all have to pretend it's fine,'" Greengrass said in clipped tones, striding up to an open elevator.

" Not a fan?" Hermione grinned. Maybe she would like this woman after all.

" I got matched with my ex boyfriend," Greengrass said stiffly as they stepped into the elevator, " It's humiliating."

" I'm so sorry," Hermione shook her head, " Yes, I'm not sure the use of the Mariarte charm helped matters along. It only seems to have made a mess of things. People matched with death eaters, married people..." _Malfoys_, she added silently.

" I completely agree," Greengrass smiled, " I knew I liked you, Granger."

Hermione laughed as the elevator doors opened and a slew of people poured in. They shuffled further back to make room for a rowdy bunch from the Office of Improper Use of Magic.

" So, forgive me for asking, but what is Rosine's Day?" Hermione felt a little more comfortable now, or she would, if the man behind her wasn't sticking his briefcase in her lower back.

" Oh, it's sort of like valentines day, but not quite… actually, it's a slytherin holiday, I don't know what I was thinking," Greengrass slapped a hand to her forehead, " It's because my troll of an ex boyfriend keeps bringing it up."

" Do you give gifts?" Hermione restrained herself from turning around and giving the briefcase man a good sock in the jaw.

" No it's more like… See there's this story, about how Salazar Slytherin wooed his wife Rosine. Probably drivel, but part of the legend I guess. Rosine was this beautiful part-veela woman and she thought Salazar was a little… egotistical, shall we say," Greengrass giggled, " When Draco explained it to me he called Salazar 'a pickled prick.'"

Hermione felt the corners of her mouth quirk up, and fought to keep her face neutral.

" But Salazar was so in love with Rosine he wouldn't let up. So he blackmailed her," Greengrass caught the frown on Hermione's face, " Not exactly husband material. He told her he wouldn't tell anyone- it was for something really silly, like he'd seen her with her dress up around her ankles- if she played a game of wizard's chess with him every night for a month. And of course, they talked over the games and fell in love. Rosine's Day celebrates the last day, when they admitted their love for each other."

" So what do Slytherins do on Rosine's Day? Blackmail their crushes?" Hermione smirked.

" If they're so inclined. But really the tradition is to play a chess game with your significant other," Greengrass explained, " I was so used to it I didn't even think about the fact that the other houses didn't do it. Did Gryffindor do anything like that?"

" Ha, we have a party on Godric Gryffindor's birthday. That's about it," Hermione giggled.

The Door opened again, but this time only two people stepped into the elevator, Malfoy and Luna Lovegood. The instant her eyes caught sight of his unmistakable blond hair she must have blushed eight shades of red. They were too far away and the elevator was too crowded for him to have noticed her.

He was wearing a plain dark blue cardigan over a white shirt and tan slacks, and he seemed to be arguing with Luna. Hermione knew, of course, that Luna worked in the Department of Mysteries while she pursued her seers licence. But it hadn't clicked until that moment that Malfoy was the only other junior clerk in that department.

" So were you thinking something like a charity chess match? Or a couple's match or something," Hermione suggested to the nodding Greengrass, " I actually don't think it would be a terrible idea to celebrate a Slytherin holiday, especially one that has to do with a founder. After the war, it must be a hard thing to belong to that house."

Malfoy was whispering something rather intently to Luna's dreamy response, and then she responded and he laughed so hard it filled the elevator. Hermione's mood plummeted and she felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach.

" That's true, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all," Greengrass echoed, astonished, " Who would have thought you'd have sympathy for Slytherins? No offense."

Malfoy pulled something from his bag, and Hermione realized with a jolt it was a _Quibbler_. He flipped through and gestured to something inside and Luna shyly waved him away.

How idiotic she'd been, thinking that a guy like him wouldn't already have someone who cared about him. Even if he was a pickled prick. He was funny, smart, handsome, and as proved by this morning, actually thoughtful. Luna looked up at him with a little smile, like he'd just done something impossibly fantastic, while he pointed to an article to emphasize some point.

" The war's over," Hermione responded weakly, " The past doesn't mean Slytherins should be ashamed of who they are."

Greengrass pushed her glasses up on her nose, " Well, thank you, Granger. I'll take that as a compliment."

The elevator opened to the lobby and Hermione watched the smiling blondes exit while she waited for the elevator to empty, " You should. And call me Hermione, please."


	28. Chapter 28: Draco

Chapter 28

The next day, At Malfoy Manor, late afternoon

Draco paced the length of his sitting room. He knew it by heart. Thirty-two long strides from both walls straight, fifty and a half if he went diagonally. Today he was a little frustrated, so he was going diagonally.

Maybe the bra had been a mistake. Maybe he'd stepped over the line, got too clingy as opposed to cool. Maybe she was offended.

He counted paces to keep calm… ten… eleven…

Or maybe it was something else altogether. Maybe she'd gotten all she needed on Saturday, and she had merely been embarrassed by the gift.

Fifteen… sixteen…seventeen…

He clenched and unclenched his fists to try and calm himself. But he'd had no response, and he was craving her like a glass of cold water in the middle of a desert. He'd planned to take his time, bring her to the bed, and do it properly this time. And when she didn't respond…

twenty-seven… twenty-eight…

An amber glow filled the room, coming from the empty fireplace, " Drake, you here?"

" Blaise? How did your appointment go?" Draco grabbed something to pretend like he'd been doing something purposeful when he walked into view of the fireplace.

" Interestingly," Blaise interrupted himself, " Can I come over?"

" Yeah, sure-" Before Draco could finish his thought Blaise was standing in front of him, dusting off his expensive Italian suit.

" What are you so worked up about?" Blaise asked bluntly.

" I don't know what you mean, Blaise, I was just," Draco examined the throw pillow he had picked up in such a hurry, " Fluffing pillows. You know. Gotta have fluffed pillows."

" Ah, is Granger coming over?" Blaise nodded knowingly.

" No," Draco couldn't help the angry eyebrow twitch that had accompanied that simple word.

" So Granger isn't coming and that's… upset you?" Blaise ventured.

" She hasn't responded to a note I sent about tomorrow," Draco explained, putting the pillow down and giving it a generous fluffing to avoid Blaise's eye, " And I'm not upset, just a little horny. You know how it is."

Blaise snorted, " I told you, didn't I tell you this was a terrible idea?"

" I'm not upset over Granger," Draco ground out.

" I told you that trying to be fuck buddies with your soulmate was playing with fire. You've slept with her once and already- I mean, look at you," Blaise accused.

" Hey! Waiting for someone to respond to a booty call is normal, even expected. You're just overreacting because you want to be right," Draco countered.

" Yes, but most times the booty call isn't to your magic-chosen, all-bloody-powerful soulmate, right?" Blaise smirked.

Draco smirked right back, " I'm not going to fall for Hermione Granger. It's laughable to even say out loud. And since when do you even believe in soulmates? You're Blaise 'Shag it and Bag it' Zabini."

" Just because I get around doesn't mean I don't believe in soulmates. The Maritare charm isn't fucking around," Blaise rested elegantly on a velvet wingback chair, " Now that we've got that out of the way-"

" How is it out of the way?" Draco sat on his silver damask couch in a heap.

" Because you're going to develop feelings for Granger, and there's nothing you can do about it if you keep pacing the floor over her," Blaise declared, " Now can we have some tea?"

" Forgive me if I think you're full of shit," Draco responded, ringing for tea. A house elf appeared almost instantly with a cup of Draco's favorite Darjeeling, and Blaise's favorite jasmine tea.

" Forgive me if I say the same, Drake," Blaise grinned.

" Alright, stop fucking with me," Draco stirred some milk and sugar into his tea, " Who did you get on your charm then?"

" You'll never guess," Blaise sipped his tea and leaned back in his chair saucily.

" No, I won't."

Blaise paused, " Well, go on then, guess."

Draco rolled his eyes, " I hate when you gossip about yourself. Uh… Susan Bones."

" No, obviously."

" Ernie MacMillan."

" Eugh, no."

" Goyle."

" Getting much colder."

" Ah… Do I know them?"

Blaise leaned back in his chair luxuriously," Yes, you definitely know them."

Draco shook his head, " I don't fucking know… Hermione Granger."

" Bingo."

Draco felt a little flurry of what had to be confusion in his chest, " Really?"

" No, but what an interesting expression you have on," Blaise grinned, " You're much, _much_ warmer now."

Draco almost choked on a laugh, " No. Fucking. Way."

" Did you guess it?"

" Well, Mr. Weasley, who knew?" Draco grinned and took a big sip of tea, " Just kidding, I knew."

" I didn't know," Blaise chuckled, " He seems so… I don't know."

" I only know because Potter let it slip," Draco explained, " So… what are you going to do about it?"

" I sent a letter," Blaise bit his lip, " And don't kill me but I asked if he might be interested in getting lunch."

" Lunch as in a date, or lunch as in a public humiliation of Weasley masquerading as a date?" Draco asked hopefully.

Blaise hesitated, " Look, it's not as if we're mortal enemies. We were just sorted into different houses at school."

" Are you kidding?" Draco raised both his eyebrows sky high, " You must be kidding."

" It's just lunch," Blaise defended.

Draco just shook his head, " The world has gone completely pear shaped. Just know this: if you try to date the weasel, you can't look down on me for Granger."

" I will agree to no such thing," Blaise laughed, " This 'fuck buddies' deal is going to come back to bite you in the arse, and I'm going to call you on it."

" I'm getting Granger out of my system, and, I might add, breaking my dry spell," Draco sipped his tea, " You don't have a reason to meet with Weasley."

" He's my soulmate. And don't give me that 'the war ruined my life and no one wants to fuck me' buisness. You might have broken that dry spell years ago with Loony Lovegood," Blaise rolled his eyes, " All I'm saying is that it's going to get complicated somehow."

" Lovegood is just a friend," Draco waved him off, " And Granger is an itch that needs to be scratched."

" Who's her soulmate?" Blaise asked conspiratorially.

" Lovegood's?"

" No, Salazar Slytherin's" Blaise snorted, " Of course Lovegood's."

An owl interrupted, scratching at the window. Draco felt his stomach give a little lurch, but set down his tea slowly, not giving Blaise the satisfaction of hopping up to get it in case it was from Grainger.

" Dean Thomas," Draco explained, rising and padding across the plush carpet to the window, " She's pretty broken up about it."

" He's on the Wimbourne Wasps, isn't he? Why is she upset about it?"

Draco knew that the only thing to keep Blaise off the subject of Granger was to introduce some juicy topic. He carefully retrieved the small roll of parchment from the nondescript owl and held it casually. His chest was a flurry of tension but he'd never let Blaise know.

" They had a one night stand years ago during the war, but they haven't seen each other since, really. But she's still in love with him," Draco explained, turning Grangers parchment over in his hands, " He's been in London for a few days now, and he had his appointment. She hasn't heard a peep."

" A peep huh? Like what you're holding?"

" I'll read it later," Draco said, closing the window.

" Oh, I see, you want to read it in private because it means so much to you," Blaise baited.

" No, I want to concentrate on my guest and not on a little piece of post," Draco countered.

" Methinks the lady doth protest too much," Blaise sipped his tea saucily.

Draco paused, and then tore into the neat seal on the parchment, " Sod it."

_Malfoy-_

_I got your note as I was leaving work yesterday and only remembered that I hadn't responded until Ron's maritare charm results reminded me (! Must discuss). I would love to come tomorrow, if you still want to. Please write the best apparition point or floo connection on this paper when you get this._

_Granger_

Draco felt a heady little rush of anticipation. She was coming after all. He would have to plan something more special than their quickie in the kitchen, not that he was complaining. But he hadn't yet had the chance to really savor her.

Blaise raised an eyebrow imperiously, " Good news?"

" Not for you," Draco smirked, " Granger wants to _discuss_ you and Weasley. For once, I'm not the one in trouble."

Blaise groaned, " Keep her distracted, will you?"

" I intend to," Draco laughed, " But Granger's the least of your worries."

Blaise snorted, " What, am I supposed to be afraid of Potter?"

Draco grinned, " I'm only saying that you've got a lot of angry redheads in your future."


	29. Chapter 29: Hermione

Chapter 29

The Burrow, that night

Hermione spread her napkin across her lap and glanced at Ginny nervously. She'd come straight from work, where she'd got a note from Harry. They'd barely had time to discuss Ron's news before dinner, so she was still reeling.

" More mashed potatoes, Dear," Molly stood over Ron with an expectant look on her face. The room was warm and inviting, lit with the same candlesticks on the table and set with the same faded floral dishes. Harry'd spent a fortune replacing the burrow, albeit a much improved, more sanely laid out burrow, and he'd gone to great trouble to replace some of the family's most cherished items that hadn't survived the fire. But the familiar setting made Hermione all the more nervous for what was coming.

" Sure," Ron said simply, grinning like an idiot in another of his favorite tacky sweaters.

Molly served him and then herself, settling down in her chair with a satisfied smile, " So how was your appointment today, Ronald?"

" Yeah, mate, who's the lucky girl?" Arthur asked jovially.

George sniggered, and then rubbed a hand over his mouth. Angelina kicked him under the table.

Ron calmly stuffed half of a dinner roll in his mouth, " It's Blaise Z'bini, actually."

Arthur and Molly froze, and George started laughing.

" You tactless-" Angelina did something rather complicated with her foot so that George's chair flipped backwards and he landed with a thud, still laughing.

" I'm sorry," He said helplessly, " It's not funny Ron, it's not."

" I did plan on telling you when I was sure," Ron said glibly, " I'm sorry to have surprised everyone. Today kind of surprised me too."

" Oh, Ron," Ginny laid a hand on her brother's.

" I mean, a slytherin," Ron shook his head, " This Maritare charm is brutal."

" That's what surprised you?" George brought up his chair with a grin, " Mate, it's a man."

" Oh, that," Ron turned bright red, " It was just… like, a confirmation really. Kind of a relief."

" So you're…" Arthur looked like he'd been shown a naked picture of the Minister and didn't know quite how to cope.

" I'm bisexual," Ron took a generous bite of mashed potatoes, " Great dinner, Mum."

" Your sister made it," Molly said in a faraway voice.

" Great dinner, Gin," He redirected his compliment.

" Bisexual, meaning?" Arthur offered timidly.

" He likes blokes same as birds," George supplied helpfully, earning a dirty look from his sister.

" So you're… fine with everything?" Hermione ventured.

Ron looked at the ceiling thoughtfully, " I mean, I guess. It's not as if Zabini's a bad looking bloke, but I don't really know him. He sent me a note asking him to lunch. Guess he found out today too."

Harry choked on a bite of asparagus, " Lunch?"

" No, I mean you're fine with coming out and everything?" Hermione said forcefully.

" Reckon it was about time," Ron answered infuriatingly simply. One of the many reasons that they hadn't always worked: Ron failed to comprehend complex emotions, especially his own, and generally resorted to oversimplifying or ignoring things. It was one of his most annoying traits.

" About time, Ron," Ginny burst out, " Just when were you planning on telling us?"

" When the time was right," Ron shrugged, " I didn't think it was a big deal."

" Slightly underestimating this news, Mate," George offered, " Not that it makes us think differently of you… but this is pretty big news."

" Yeah," Angelina supported her boyfriend, " How's Hermione supposed to feel?"

Ron's blue eyes swung over to Hermione, who shifted uncomfortably, " I'm sorry, 'Mione, is this upsetting?"

" N-no, not upsetting," She knew that the entire table would be listening intently, " I'm just happy you're telling us."

Satisfied, Ron went back to eating, " So do you think I should go to lunch with him?"

Harry sat back in his chair, astonished, " Why would you?"

" Well… he's supposed to be so magically in tune with me," Ron offered.

" So?" Ginny raised an eyebrow imperiously.

" So that's worth finding out about, right?" Ron looked to Hermione for support.

" I, uh…" She stuttered. It wasn't like he was wrong, but she wasn't about to defend Blaise Zabini wholeheartedly.

" Well forgive me, but I think his history of rudeness towards Harry and us slightly trumps that," Ginny sniffed.

Ron laughed, " If I had to stop short of every person who'd ever talked about any of us behind our backs, I'd have to move to Istanbul. In case you forgot, your husband used to be one of the most sneered-at men in England when Voldemort came back. Besides, I've never been asked out by someone before."

Angelina grinned, " Aww, Ron, you're blushing."

" Am not," He took a big forkful of mashed potatoes, slightly pink in the ears.

Ginny looked down at her untouched plate, " But it's Zabini."

" Hermione's trying to trick Malfoy into marrying her, and that's all peaches and cream, but you can't accept one lousy lunch date with someone we barely know?" Ron bristled.

" Hermione what?" Molly burst out.

" Ronald!" Hermione cried.

" Oh… Bloody hell," He exclaimed miserably.

Molly's mouth was a perfect 'o', " I didn't know you were dating again."

" I'm not! It's… hard to explain," Hermione wilted under the surprised look of her second mother, almost-mother-in-law.

" There was a prophecy, mum, about another uprising of something dark," Ron offered quickly.

Molly closed her eyes and a pained expression crossed her face.

" What is it?" George asked.

" We're not sure," Hermione answered truthfully, " But we know that another prophecy is what caused the Ministry to pass the Marriage Law."

" And… Malfoy and you have something to do with it?" Arthur furrowed his brow.

Hermione bit her lip, " Yes, our um… child is meant to stop it. Somehow."

" So 'Mione's doing her best to fulfill the prophecy," Harry filled in.

" But if it's a prophecy, wouldn't it fulfill itself?" Angelina said around a mouthful of dinner roll.

George's eyebrows were sky high, " No she's right to be doing what she's doing. It wouldn't happen on its own, not if it's Malfoy. You're a braver soul than I, 'Mione."

Molly stood, and Hermione found herself embraced in a warm, motherly hug, " Indeed you are."

" Well," Arthur looked around the table and shook his head, " At least this was a lively meal. Now, explain this 'tricking' business?"

Later That Night

Hermione ached down to her bones. She crawled, dripping blood, along an unfamiliar floor. The ground seemed to glow white beneath her, and her head ached to look at it.

'Stay with me, Granger, it's all going to be alright,' a voice commanded in a hoarse whisper.

What could she do if she didn't know where she was going? Who could she stay with if there was nothing but the white ground and her.

' I know it hurts, it hurts me too, Granger,'' the voice whispered hastily.

The urge to collapse was overwhelming, but she had a strong sense that she was supposed to be somewhere.

' I'm so sorry,' The voice was tight, like the person was crying, which she remembered was sad, ' So sorry I hurt you.'

Big, strong arms encircled her from behind, cradling her against a great, warm chest, and she fell into the soft cushion of a mattress. The presence of the voice was gone, and with it the panic, although she was left feeling strangely bereft. She turned and looked into crystal clear blue eyes, echoed by the navy ceiling of the parlor at Grimmauld Place.

" 'Mione, thank god, we thought we'd lost you," Ron held her hand tightly, " When I saw you lying there I thought you were going to die."

" No," She responded weakly, " What happened?"

" We got you out, that's all that matters," He ignored her, " It's getting stronger."

" Was it bad? Ron, what happened to me?" Hermione begged.

" You're home, and you're safe," He said, " We were so afraid the cause was lost."

" You're not making any sense, Ron, where's Harry?"

" Harry?" Ron furrowed his brow, " Who's that?"

" Harry Potter, our friend, the chosen one."

" Hermione, the chosen one-" His voice became distorted, like it had been sliced away, like the other half of the prophecy. Ron shook her urgently, and his mouth was moving, but she couldn't decipher any of it.

She woke in bed with a start, staring at her framed poster from the movie Gone With the Wind that hung above her dresser. She placed a hand over her heart to stop its wild beating. A bad dream, only a dream. She sat up slowly and swung her feet out of bed, padding to the kitchen for a glass of water to clear her headache.

The kitchen was lit with the glow of the streetlamps outside and a little clock on the shelf where she kept her spices that read 12:38 AM. She'd only been in bed for an hour, but it had seemed like eternity. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself and focus on the room. Sometimes, she could slide back into the dreams, and she combated this by staying grounded in the now. She concentrated on little details from her freshly washed breakfast dishes and the stack of file folders on her kitchen table, and a broken quill nib she was repairing to crookshanks quietly snoring on top of her nearly useless refrigerator.

" How are you, my darling?" She whispered, leaning against the counter, blushing when she realized that it was the same place she and Malfoy had been just days before.

She paused, and then reached into the lower cupboard for the glowing box behind her unused pots and pans. She'd put the prophecy in an old christmas box after its glowing had kept her awake in her bedroom. She struck it on the counter and listened again, her bones filling with the same sense of unease that she'd felt when she first heard it.

… After the dark one is vanquished

Enmity will turn to true love

Love broken not even by death

Soul from soul

Life from life

Weighted but not bound

By the history of strife

When she was done she set it back in the box and leaned against the counter. For the past few days she'd been trying to make out the whisperings in the background. Mr. Bourbeau had said that the prophecies were made at the same time, so she had to assume that the whisperings would eventually clue her in as to what they were dealing with.

So far, all it was doing was giving her a headache and reminding her insistently that she had to move quickly with Malfoy, more quickly than she was really comfortable with. She'd considered smashing it, like Harry's prophecy, so it would be louder and they could all three listen, but that would mean breaking it forever.

She sighed. What she really needed was another set of ears on it, but it was too late to give it to Malfoy. She grabbed a pad out of her drawer and wrote down what she thought she'd heard, 'eighteen' and 'together.' She thought for a moment and then wrote down a list of questions to calm her. Somehow having things on paper made them less overwhelming, to her at least.

Who or what is it?

What will it do?

How will it do it?

What can we do now?

When will it happen?

She underlined the last one twice. Satisfied, though anxious, she set the list down on her counter, and went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Trying her hair into a long messy braid with a scrunchie, she crawled back into bed.

Hermione looked up at the ceiling in the dark and tried to formulate a plan. She knew that the records kept at the department of mysteries were the key, but she couldn't very well go in and demand a prophecy that wasn't hers. Once again her mind offered Malfoy as a solution, one that she quickly threw out. He'd been a very different person to her Saturday, so much so that it actually seemed like a dream. She had to concentrate on reality, and not let that dream warp the way things were between them. Somehow the thought of going back to horrid, sharp mouthed Malfoy seemed distasteful.

No, she'd have to think up a plan herself.


	30. Chapter 30: Draco

Chapter 30

Wiltshire, that Night

Malfoy revelled in the wind blowing through his hair, doing figure eights above the manor. He hadn't taken out his broom in a long time, and he realized now that he missed it. The trees around the manor whistled in the breeze, and the sky was open and easy. He whooped as he pulled into a tight loop-de-loop.

It had been a day much like any other. Up at seven for breakfast in bed, check the paper before getting dressed. They'd had a pretty typical day labelling and sorting prophecies, during which he and Luna had played a very long game of would you rather, during which he'd decided that he'd rather marry Granger than Weasley, but Potter over the Weaslette. He'd come home and had dinner with his mother, although she was not feeling well and the meal was cut short.

He'd read in bed before deciding to go out on his broom early so that he didn't spend too much of his evening in an embarrassing display of waiting for Granger. He'd planned a long night for her, which of course, he wanted to start right away. It had nothing to do with wanting to see her again, despite what Lovegood said today.

He checked his watch, throwing on a quick disillusionment charm when he realized it was time to pick her up.

Wiltshire spread out in a dark green carpet beneath him, studded with glowing lights. He landed quickly near a field, where sheep grazed, and waited. She appeared only a few seconds after he'd landed, stumbling on the gravel road. She looked around, holding her wand at the ready. She was wearing a simple black peacoat and jeans, with a huge red and black knit scarf, a nod to the chill in the air.

" Over here, Granger," He waved.

" Who is it? Show yourself!" She demanded, tossing her long curls over her shoulder.

He waved his wand and rolled his eyes, " Alright, Granger, watch where you wave that thing."

She almost jumped right out of her skin, " Jesus, Malfoy, don't scare me like that, I almost killed you."

" I noticed," He laughed, " Did you really think you were going to be attacked next to the big scary sheep field?"

She cocked her hip, " You know, any place can be charmed to look like a sheep field. Including an attacking army."

He furrowed " Why would an army attack you in the middle of Wiltshire at 10 O'clock on a Wednesday?"

" Attacks can happen anywhere," She responded simply.

He smirked, swinging his leg over and dismounting, " Speaking of." He walked up slowly, admiring the slight haze of her breath as she exhaled. She looked up at him with a little Granger-ish pout, and he rubbed her little chin with his thumb before he kissed her.

She pulled back and smiled, " That's hardly an attack."

" Oh that's right," He grinned, " I forgot that you totally want to fuck me, Granger."

She sighed, " You're never going to get over that, are you."

He laughed, " Once a year, you're going to get a card from me at Christmas reminding you."

Unexpectedly, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again, " If it's as good as it was last time, I'll send you a card too."

He raised an eyebrow, " Noted. Let's go!" He held the broom aloft and mounted. She hesitated.

" What are you waiting for?" He asked.

" Your house isn't here?" She motioned towards the field.

" No, unfortunately the wards on the mansion don't allow in strangers," He explained, " Once I bring you in once, you'll be able to floo. It's just a short ride, come on."

" Why don't we walk? Uh… it'll break the ice," She smiled invitingly.

" I'm pretty sure last time shattered the ice, for me at least," He responded, " Besides, it's a bit cold out. Come on, I'll ride, you can just hold on."

She bit her lip and played with her scarf.

" Oh, Granger, don't tell me you're still afraid of brooms," He smirked.

" I'm not afraid of brooms," She said crossly.

" Then why are you running scared," He challenged.

She glared at him, and stiffly mounted the broom behind him.

" Look at you, so brave," He grinned.

" Don't patronize me," She growled, setting her hands awkwardly on his shoulders.

" You're going to want to hold on," He intoned.

" Why?"

" Because I fly fast," he warned her.

" You just want me to hold on to you," She purred.

" Would you believe it if I said I didn't want you to fall and die?" He postulated.

" Not really," She laughed.

He took off slowly, not wanting to spook her, " I'd rather not clean you up off the ground a second time, Granger."

He could feel her tensing to answer, so he took off, hard. She clung to his back with a yelp, nails digging into his chest.

" M-Malfoy! You're doing this on purpose!" She cried.

" Of course I am," He yelled back, " It's a rare occasion when I have one of the most gorgeous and famous witches in Britain on my broom. And I acknowledge the entendre."

" I must be dead. You killed me, and I'm dead, because that almost sounded like a compliment," She exhaled in his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

He laughed and flew through the wards to the manor. From above, it was a majestic sight. Too bad Granger had her eyes closed.

" We're almost there, don't claw at me so hard, save some for later. I've got plans for tonight," He shouted.

" I wish I could let go so I could slap you," She answered.

" Kinky, Granger," He commented.

He pulled into a slow downward decent but still she groaned, " Please tell me when we've landed, so I can hurt you, please."

" Well," He pulled down a little more sharply so that she pressed her magnificent breasts against him more tightly, " Since you said please."

He pulled into the garage to the sound of her terrified squeak and stopped.

" So no airborne sex, then," He let her dismount first with a little smirk.

" Please don't make me do that again," She groaned, leaning against the wall.

" Fine," He sighed, " But know it comes at great cost to me. Damsel-in-distress is a whole new side of you."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

He laughed, " I suppose that isn't the side you wanted to show me."

" Not in a million years," She agreed.

" Well then I'll have to hold this in my memory, along with some other things," He raised an eyebrow.

She just sighed and sagged against the wall, " Keep up the teasing and memory is all you'll have."

" Oh come on, Granger, it was just one broom ride," He put his old nimbus back in its cabinet.

" I can't walk," She admitted with a surly pout.

He laughed and strode over, resting his hands on either side of her waist, " I thought Gryffindors could do anything."

" As a collective, we're quite talented," She teased, " But every individual has their weakness."

" Ah, yes, I forgot the old Longbottom rule," He rubbed his hands up and down, feeling the curve of her waist hungrily.

" So was this your big plan," She gestured to the broom cabinet.

" No, in the plan, you had the use of your legs. At least for the first part," He grinned, " So I guess I'll have to improvise."

He swung her into his arms.

" Malfoy! Put me down!" She ordered.

" Okay," He jolted her in his arms and she squeaked, then hit him when she realized he hadn't dropped her.

" You ass," She exclaimed.

" Luckily, the first part of the plan can be truncated," He walked out of the garage and into the house

" Wow, this is beautiful," she exclaimed. He glanced around the marble foyer.

" Yeah, it's alright," He carried her around to the grand staircase.

" Are you kidding me, this place is stunning," She squirmed in his arms, " You live here?"

He grunted as he carried her up the stairs, " Yeah, it's a great place to relax after carrying a grown woman across half of England."

" Excuse you, was that a crack at my weight?"

" I can flatter you all you want, but you know you don't weigh nothing," He rolled his eyes.

" You're the one who wanted to carry me rather than giving me a levitating charm," She relaxed into his arms slightly while she teased him, and he had to fight a smile. All cracks aside, this wasn't bad. He would never have expected Granger to allow him this sort of liberty, which made the granting of it all the sweeter.

" I thought levitating you would make your fear of brooms worse. Or make you lose your lunch," He smirked, " Believe me, I'm itching to get you up into the air again."

She blushed, " I don't even know what that's supposed to mean."

" Come on, Granger, put that big brain of yours to use and imagine something," He growled, knocking his bedroom door open.

A few candles burned low, casting his sitting room in a comforting glow.

" Now can I set you down or will you topple over?" He strode towards the bathroom, taking his time.

" Of course I won't topple over," She insisted, " Did you see me falling before you so rudely picked me up.

" Keep acting like you don't like it, Granger, it's not doing you a bit of good," He smirked and opened the door to the bathroom wandlessly, " I remember what you said in the Office of Marriage and Family about lifting you straight off the ground."

Even in the softly lit bathroom, he could see her blush. The candlelight formed a halo in her slightly tamed curls, and her skin seemed to glow like an expensive pearl. He set her down gently, and she looked around.

" Malfoy, this is a surprise," She took in the room in wonder, taking in the huge tub filled with bubbles, " It's almost romantic."

He raised an eyebrow, " It's just the chandelier. Besides, how do you know I'm not keeping it dim so I don't have to see you?"

She snorted, " Yes, of course, because you dislike so immensely how I look. I meant the tub was romantic more than anything."

" I thought since you like icebreakers so much, I'd come up with one that has the added benefit of a completely naked Granger at my disposal."

She smiled, over-sweetly, " I'm Hermione Granger. I'm at no one's disposal."

She removed her coat to reveal a soft-looking sweater that was just short enough to see a sliver of skin above her jeans.

He ran a hand across the band of her jeans and she almost jumped away from him, " Very nice, Granger."

She smiled nervously, " You were right, this was hard to dress for. Casual seems more in keeping with the spirit of the thing, but it seems only right to dress up as a guest."

" Well," He began, waving her coat in the next room, " I'm afraid you're going to be much less formal in a moment."

He kissed her, sweeping his tongue into her mouth with a delicate flick. Her hands came up to rest on his chest, branding him through the thin material of his sweater. When he nipped at her full lower lip, those hands curled into the sweater, and he almost moaned.

So he pulled back, " Alright, Granger, no need to rush."

Confusion flashed over her face, then amused indignation, " You really do think very highly of yourself."

" I'm Draco Malfoy. If I don't, who will?" He ran a finger along the exposed skin of her stomach and then dipped it into the waistband of her jeans, just a little, " Now come on and get in the tub, Granger."

He broke away to remove his sweater and jeans and settle in the water as quickly as he could, so he could watch her in the last moments of removing her bra and underwear. She stood over the sunken tub, skin glowing, for just a moment, before getting in with him, at the other end. But that brief moment was enough to sear it into his memory. He had seen more beautiful women, and he was sure that there were better bodies out there, but her, standing there with freckles on her shoulders and her shy little lip bite was too much.

The tub was big, but not so big he couldn't feel her warm presence in the water.

" Now, about Blaise and the Weasel," He introduced.

" I had to talk about that with you," She said urgently.

He settled on the built in chairs on the side of the tub and laughed, " I'm so glad I'm not the only one in trouble.

She pouted, trying to feel her way around the other side of the tub, " No one's in trouble."

" There's a ledge to sit on, over here," He motioned her over, " You don't have to stand the whole time."

" Why would you invite me over for a tub with only one place to sit?" She sighed, exasperatedly, making her way over to him.

" Think you just answered your own question, there," He raised an eyebrow when she sat down next to him.

" You know, I think we've learned that you don't need any tricks to get me into bed," She smirked.

" That's true," He winked, " But if it isn't trouble what did you want to talk about."

" Why did Blaise ask Ron to go to lunch?" She asked.

" I don't know, really," He answered, " Because he felt like it?"

" Well thanks to that, Ron is actually thinking of going," She answered crossly.

" Blaise wanted to know, in case he was missing anything," Draco answered, reaching for her hand in the water.

" And you don't see anything wrong with that?" She bit her lip, " It's not as if anything is going to work out between them."

" Well that's something they can find out at lunch," He ran a finger up her arm, " So Weasley told the whole clan, huh?"

Finally she looked over at him, " Yes, and everyone was completely shocked. Ron just acted like it was no big deal, just like going on a date with Zabini was 'no big deal.'"

" It's not. It's just lunch."

" Not you too! I thought at least you of all people would see that it's a waste of time," She more or less ignored him.

" Is this about a torch you're carrying for the Weasel?" He frowned. Of course she couldn't let this go. How could she be in the tub, naked with him, and not let this go?

" No, of course not," She shook her head.

" You know, jealousy doesn't suit you as well as damsel-in-distress," He sneered.

" I'm not jealous," She stated firmly, " Ron is my friend, and Zabini is bad news. Who even knows why he asked Ron out?"

" Blaise is not bad news, he's a good bloke, and if Weasley bothered getting to know him he'd be all the better for it," Draco countered.

" How would that be better for Ron?" She turned her eyes on him like lasers.

" Do you mean it wouldn't be good for Weasley, or that Blaise couldn't be better than you?" He accused.

" Ron doesn't belong with a… a death eater. As a friend, I have to protect him," She almost shouted.

" In case you hadn't noticed Granger, neither Blaise or I are in Azkaban," Draco's hands clenched into fists under the water, " There are reasons for that. You know, for the smartest witch of our age, you've been rather slow tonight."

" What reasons could possibly excuse…" She began angrily.

" Blaise tried to turn to the other side. He'd just begun to be an informant, and he was caught, and he spent the war almost entirely as a prisoner. He was tortured, but he never gave away locations," Draco revealed through gritted teeth.

She shook her head, " No, I don't believe you."

" It's a matter of public record," He replied, " Or better yet, ask Weasley. His brother was Blaise's contact."

" George?"

" No, the other twin," He corrected her.

Her jaw worked wordlessly, " He was?"

" It's all in the ministry library. Go look for yourself since my information is so faulty," He spat.

" Oh yes, because you and all your pigheaded friends are all such paragons of truth," She rolled her eyes.

" What reason would I have to lie when any dolt with an id can go down to the ministry library and see for themselves?" He roared, insulted.

" Records can be altered," She countered.

" You work for the ministry, are you telling me you trust our justice system that little?" Draco challenged.

" No, I…" She stuttered.

" And for that matter, if Blaise's schoolboy name calling was so unforgivable, what are you doing here with me?" He growled.

She sniffed, " I didn't exactly ask you out to lunch."

" But you're here with me, you already fucked me," She flinched, hard, " What could Blaise possibly do to Weasley at lunch that's more dangerous than what I could do to you right now."

Her eyes narrowed, " You wouldn't do anything to me."

" Yeah, I wouldn't? My records are sealed, isn't that shifty?" He spat, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look at him, " I'm not Weasley, isn't that objectionable?"

" You're right, is that what you want me to say?" Her eyes were blazing like hellfire, " I'm just using you to make Ron jealous, is that what you want to hear?"

" If it's true," He yelled, " I want to know."

" I hate you, you know that? I really," tears gathered at the edges of her eyes and she swiped at them, hard, " I really do."

" I don't care, answer me," He ordered, " This whole thing, was this for Weasley?"

" No!" She yelled, " Christ, Malfoy."

" It's the only thing that makes sense," He stood up in the water, " So explain it to me, Granger. Explain to me why Blaise is so awful, but fucking me is fine."

" Will you let me think," She shouted, standing with him.

" No, don't think. Just tell me," He snarled. He'd been so distracted by lust, he hadn't been thinking this through.

" You felt it last time, I know you did," She stared him down, " That's why I'm here. While I might have some lingering feelings for him, Ron isn't a part of this. And I know, I remember that you wouldn't attack me. I may not trust you but I know that much."

He growled, " You shouldn't trust that instinct."

She raised her chin defiantly, " I don't believe that you would hurt me."

" Well then you believe wrong," The last word came out like a whip and she flinched.

" Yeah? Do it then. Hex me. Slap me," She challenged.

He stared her down, but said nothing. Of course he wouldn't hurt her. There would be nothing to gain from it, not even revenge.

That was the logic of it, but something else was growing in the back of his mind.

He opened and closed his mouth wordlessly.

But she broke the silence, " I don't know about your records, and I probably should care, but I don't."

" I don't believe you," He spat.

" Good, I don't believe you either. That's why this will be easy to walk away from," She said finally.

" So you can be with Weasley," He ground out.

She tossed her hair, insolently, " What do you care?"

" I don't," Draco growled.

" Yeah? Then prove it," She challenged, and sprang at him, covering his sneer with a kiss.

He groaned when she pressed her slick, naked body against his. She bit his lower lip in response, sweeping her tongue into his mouth and putting her arms around his neck.

It wasn't like before. She seemed like she wanted to hurt him, she was pressed so hard against him. He fell back against the wall of the tub with another groan, sweeping his hands along her waist, her back, and down to her beautiful ass.

She gasped, and broke the kiss, her head falling back. He attacked her neck, licking and biting. He nibbled on a sensitive spot, and she sighed, so he latched onto her and sucked, hard, hoping he left a big mark.

" Fuck," She gasped out.

" Tell me you want me," He hissed in her ear, sliding a hand around, pushing her away slightly so he could play his fingers down to her core, slicker than he'd been expecting. She made a little choked noise, and a sigh.

" I want you," She breathed.

" Again," He commanded, " Again, and I'll make you come."

" I want you, so much, Malfoy," Her hands slid from his shoulders down his chest with a groan.

" Tell me how much," He growled.

She whined, " You know how much."

" Tell me how much, and use my name," He stated clearly, dipping a finger inside her.

" So much, so much it makes me dizzy, you make me dizzy, and I want more," She babbled, " I want you more than I should."

" But you should want me, Granger," He slid his finger in and out of her at a torturous pace, " Say my name."

She moaned, " Draco, please. I want you."

" How. Much."

She caught on, " More than Ron."

That was all he needed. He turned her around, and led her to kneel on the seat. One hand gripped her him, while one finger of his other hand slid around her and along her slit. She hissed, and pressed against his hand.

" You promised I could come," She stuttered.

" I did," He said lightly, kissing up her back, " But as we all know, I don't keep all my promises."

She groaned, and he rewarded her by sliding another finger into her, running a hand up the long expanse of her back.

" Malfoy-"

" What did I say?"

" Draco," She twisted around to look at him over her shoulder, pulling her hair to the side, " Draco, kiss me."

He complied, growling when he had to press against her slick back. She pressed back against him, grinding her backside against his aching erection while he swept his tongue into her mouth.

She smiled into the kiss, lickling delicately along the inner rim of his upper lip. His knees felt weak and he vaguely wondered if her broom weakness was catching. She broke the kiss when his finger rubbed across her clit, and he licked and kissed along her beautiful long neck.

" Draco, please f-fuck me," She begged.

" Oh no, that's what you said last time," He sang against the delicate shell of her ear, " I want to torture you."

" But I want it, I n-need it," She said, crying out when he swirled the finger over her again.

" What do you need?" He kissed along her shoulder.

" I need-" She broke off with another little whimper, " I need you to fuck me. I need it, so much it hurts."

" I need it, too," He admitted, grinding against her gorgeous ass and running his free hand up over her breast.

She reached a hand down from where she clung to the side of the tub, pushing him away. He thought for a second she was asking him to stop, but instead she grasped him firmly, stroking him. He almost forgot what he was doing, redoubling his efforts when he'd recovered.

He bit his lip, " Granger."

" Say my name, and you can f-fuck me," She whispered, grinding back against his hand.

" I don't see how you're going to stop me," He growled, rubbing against , " And I said your name."

" I can stop you if I want to," She objected, " Say my name, so I don't want to stop."

" Hermione, you're going to fucking kill me," He growled.

" You're killing me," She whined, " I'm going to come so soon, and I want to come while you f-fuck me."

He pushed her hand away and removed his hand from her clit, sliding inside her to the hilt without warning.

She sighed, resting her head against the tile, " Yes, this is what I wanted."

He slammed back into her, ignoring the question that echoed around in his brain. Did she want this more than she wanted Weasley? He didn't believe her protesting one bit.

She twisted around beneath him, looking up over her shoulder at him, " I'm going to-" Her eyes shut and she trembled all over. He groaned, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tight against him, kissing up along her neck. She leaned back so that they were both almost standing, weaving her fingers into his and breathing hard.

She came down from the peak, nails digging into his palms, " Malfoy."

He thrust into her, hard, " Say you want me."

" I've said I want you a dozen different ways," She reasoned.

" Tell me again," He ordered.

" I want you, Draco," She pled.

" For how long?"

" For as long as I want you," She cried, " I'm going to c-come again."

" Tell me you want me," He held her hands tightly.

" I don't know what you want from me-" She broke off with a sudden scream, her body tightening in hard shivvers.

He pounded into her, pulling her down on him with savage discipline.

" I want to believe you," He answered darkly.

His orgasm came on the tail of hers, catching him completely by surprise. He whispered something into her hair that no one would remember, and fell against her with an exhale.

She came down with a sigh, leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder. They both stood there for a moment, taking a few deep breaths.

She twisted around, looking at him with a little smile, " Can we get out of the tub."

" Yes, of course," He answered stiffly, removing his hands from hers. She awkwardly got off her knees and sat on the edge of the tub, just her feet resting in the water.

He climbed out and grabbed two fluffy grey towels off of a stack, handing her one and wrapping the other around his waist.

" I lost my temper," He bit out. A cold wash of humiliation poured over him as he looked down at her. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened to him, but he knew that caring about what she did with Weasley was unacceptable for a number of reasons. Not the least of which that he didn't care, and it would actually be a relief to have her out of his life. Of course it would.

But… not he'd had his fill of her, that was. They'd had sex not minutes ago, but the image of Granger toweling off her hair naked was not one he'd easily forget.

She just smiled up at him luminously, wrapping the towel around her shoulders, " So did I. It's fine."

" I still feel like I was out of line, about Weasley," He continued, " It's your business."

She bit her lip and thought for a moment before responding, " You and I just started this, and I know better than to confuse what you said with jealousy. its just a little bit of a confusing situation."

It was as soon as she let him off the hook that he realized jealousy was exactly what it sounded like. And he didn't want to examine himself too closely, because it seemed frighteningly close to what it was. It was Granger, the sex was messing with his head.

He held his tongue.

" I think that we should make a rule about it," Granger began briskly.

" What do you mean?" His stomach dipped low. If there was any mercy in the world, he wouldn't be jealous.

" I'm just going on an assumption, so correct me if I'm wrong," She began slowly, " But when you've had relationships in the past, were you maybe a little… possessive?" She worried her lip with little white teeth.

" Yes, a little," He growled. He hated her for being right. He hated himself for slipping up and letting some irrational emotion get in the way of what should have been something simple.

" Well… I'm also a little bit of a jealous person. Ask Lavender Brown," She smirked, rising, " And I think this soulmate business sort of make the problem worse."

" You've been jealous of me?" He laughed, " Are you serious?"

The sad thing was, there was nothing to be jealous of. She had an ex boyfriend hanging around, and all of Wizarding London worshiped the ground she walked on. He had his mother, and Blaise. And just yesterday in Diagon Alley a little girl out with her parents had stomped on his foot.

" I should not have told you that," She said darkly.

" So what are you saying, Granger? That we should call this off?" He schooled his expression into a daring smirk.

That would probably be best. Rationally he knew that he should want to jump ship at the first sign of anything even remotely emotional. But irrationally he wanted to tear that towel off of her and make her forget her own name, let alone the embarrassing things he'd said about Weasley.

" No, I'm just saying that for two naturally jealous people, it isn't really a sign of any deeper feelings," She took a step towards him, " And so, since this is just short term, perhaps we should just make a rule about being too involved with other people."

He was shocked, " You know, these past few days you've been saying some really crazy things to me, Granger. I've half a mind to write them down and send them to the Prophet.

She almost laughed, " Oh, I'm really scared of Mr. 'Say my name and tell me you want me.'"

" Ah, but I'm just a big nobody now," He reminded her, " You're the one with the reputation to lose."

She walked up and put her arms around his waist, " Yeah, you want to drag me down to your level, Malfoy? What do you intend to do when you get me there?"

He raised an eyebrow, " Well look at you. That was almost sexy, Granger."

She pouted, " Almost?"

He had a pounding erection, " So anyway, what's this about not getting involved with other people."

" Well we didn't really talk about it, when we made the rules," She said plainly.

" I won't get jealous. I'm not even really jealous," He reasoned, rubbing his hands up and down the curve of her waist, " I'm pretty sure I just had water in my ear. Makes me act screwy."

She bit her lip, again, worrying the already well-kissed pinkness almost raw, " Okay, then, but I'm a jealous person.."

" Who could you be jealous of? The last person I was screwing around with is in Azkaban," He laughed.

She didn't, " Who?"

" Astoria Greengrass," He answered.

" What happened?"

He cocked his head to the side, " What does it matter to you?"

" It doesn't I just know her sister is all," She blushed slightly.

" You really are jealous," He marvelled.

" I said I was the jealous type, not that I was jealous," She countered.

" Want to go to bed and talk it over?" He ran his hands down to cup her arse and she jolted.

" Was this part of your plan?" She allowed him to lead her towards the door and out into the sitting room.

" Well, in the plan, we just fooled around in the tub and then moved to the bed," He noticed that her eyes lingered on the carved furniture longingly, " But it seems like taking time isn't exactly our forte."

" Are you complaining, Malfoy?" She retorted.

" No, no, I just thought women usually liked a little more… preliminaries," He hinted, speaking the last word lowly in her ear as they made their way to the wide double doors to his bedroom.

" To tell you the truth, so did I. But that's what this is about, right? Too much foreplay would feel too… romantic," She reasoned.

" Perhaps you're right, Granger. But I'm a guy who takes his time. Ask Astoria," He intoned.

She giggled and opened the door, " This is your bedroom?"

He watched her take in the huge canopied bed and heavy baroque furniture, " I've just had it redone."

Her voice turned strict, " Don't you know there are war orphans without a sickle to their name?"

" I give plenty to war relief. It's not as if I'm a muggle who has to go out and buy new things every week," He waved his wand and the curtains around his bed turned from the silk embroidered with interlocking snakes to a rich emerald velvet color.

She pouted, " Show off."

" You could do it too. Maybe it would help your apartment to stop looking like it doesn't belong to anyone," He smirked.

" Hey, I like my apartment!" She protested.

" It's boring. My holding cell at the ministry had more personality," He sat down on his bed calmly, " Classic Granger."

" I have to keep most of my magical objects in my bedroom, so that it's far enough away from the television," She explained.

" What's a television?" He cocked his head to the side.

" I thought you took muggle studies," She smirked.

" Well I'm afraid that I never finished the course. My sixth year was… rather exciting."

She let that stand, crawling onto the bed next to him, " So what do you think about my rule?"

" I'd like to hammer out the terms if it's alright with you," He turned towards her, running a hand through his hair with a grin.

" Of course," She bit her lip, " I was just proposing that we not do anything with other people, at least while we're still…" She drifted off.

" You really don't like saying that we're fucking, do you?" He tugged at the bottom of her towel playfully.

She huffed, " There just has to be a better way to say it."

" No," He said darkly, " I want to hear you say it."

She raised her chin, " Fine, I think as long as we're... fucking we should just keep it simple, to avoid an awkward situation."

He crossed his hands over his chest, " That seems logical. However, since Potter's protesting seems to have lost steam and we have less than three months to at least find someone, does that exclude dating other people, or just sex with other people."

" Well…" She wrung her hands together, " That depends on how much longer we'll be f-fucking, but I think I could live with dating other people."

Instantly the thought of her walking arm and arm with Weasley down Diagon Alley while he got stomped on by little girls alone, " Yes, I agree. Three months is a short amount of time."

" But we won't sleep with anyone else," She added quickly.

He kept his voice placid and lighthearted , " We probably won't be fucking much longer anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard."

" Sounds like we have a deal, then," She smiled.

" And since we've upheld all of the other rules," He grinned wickedly, " This one shouldn't be a hardship."

She gathered her hair into a knot, " What are you doing tomorrow?"

He almost laughed, " Again?"

" Well I figure since we've been doing so well, we should keep the streak going as long as possible," She sighed, " You know, I'm really tired. Do you mind if I go home?"

" Of course not, go ahead," He replied, ignoring the pull of the unknown thing at the back of his brain, " And if you consider this doing well, fighting and all, I have to wonder if I hit your head against the tub and injured your brain."


	31. Chapter 31: Hermione

A/N I write such short chapters when Draco and Hermione aren't together, I am the worst.

Chapter 31

Hermione took a deep breath and barrelled through the crowd making her way towards Ginny. The protest hadn't made any headway towards a response from the ministry, but that hadn't stopped people from coming out to show their outrage. Including this bevy of young women who were too busy waving their signs to notice someone coming through.

" It's love that the Ministry is forgetting," Harry's voice reverberated through Hermione's skull, " Love, the thing that makes life worth living."

With claws out, she shoved her way past the most aggressive girl, " Ginny!"

Ginny whipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled, " 'Mione!"

" I'm just going to go down to the office for a minute. I have to check my inbox and answer a few questions, tell Harry and Ron if they ask," She grabbed her jacket and work bag.

" Of course," Ginny said sweetly, " Oh, hey, how was Malfoy's last night?"

" Well… I guess things are moving forward," Hermione pretended to fuss in her bag to avoid her friend's eyes.

" You guess? What do you mean?" Ginny laid a hand on her shoulder, " Oh… is he bad in bed? You know, he seems like the kind of guy who would be-"

Hermione laughed, " No, no that's not the problem. _At all_."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, " Oh yeah, how 'at all'?"

" It's the best sex I've had in my life," Hermione admitted with a blush.

" I want all the details," Ginny gushed, " No, wait- _focus_, Ginny! Tell me what you mean by moving forward."

" Well last night… ah, it's a little hard to explain, but basically last night Malfoy and I agreed not to sleep with other people," Hermione bit her lip.

" What? That's huge!" Ginny patted her on the back, " What happened?"

" He got… jealous, I think, and-"

" Jealous? Really? Of what?" Ginny laughed, " Oh, no offense."

" No, exactly, who does he have to be jealous of? Crookshanks? He thought I was upset over Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes.

" Well… are you?"

" My wife and I knew our love would last a lifetime, and we didn't need a charm to tell us what to do!" Harry's voice rang out overhead.

" You know, Gin, you might want to tell him that we did the charm," Hermione threw a hand out to the stage, " This is getting a little embarrassing."

" I will… its just that you know how big Harry is on making his own choices," Ginny shrugged, " He hates feeling trapped."

" Yeah, I know how he feels," Hermione snarled.

" So, about Ron-"

Hermione stifled a sigh and threw her bag onto her shoulder, " I'm happy he came out, it's just... Blaise." She pulled a little face.

" I know," Ginny laid a hand on her shoulder, " But I don't want to push the issue, because I'm afraid Ron will think I don't support him."

Hermione let out her breath, " Exactly, I'm glad we're on the same page."

" So it doesn't bother you... I mean, I always sort of thought you and Ron would..." Ginny trailed off miserably.

" Yeah," Hermione said quietly, " Me too. Or, I guess... I didn't think I thought that until now."

" But Hermione-"

" I've got to go, I'll be right back," Hermione scurried away before Ginny could lob any more questions her way.

She headed briskly towards the elevators, dodging a few waving signs and impassioned limbs.

Of course Ron's news was upsetting. The way they had left things was unsatisfying, to say the least. And now, Ron being Ron, after about a year of awkwardness, he decided to act like the whole thing hadn't happened.

She wished he'd told her. She wished he hadn't had to go though that discovery alone.

But of course, she'd had plenty of time to get over Ron. And she was supposed to be completely preoccupied with the prophesy, and not even thinking about Ron any longer.

But it wasn't until Ron had said he'd never been asked out on a date before that she realized that for a small part of her, it wasn't over. And she would have to deal with that.

She hurled herself into the elevator just as the doors almost closed. It was empty, save for one huge man with a bouquet of roses, who she very nearly ran into.

" Watch it Granger!" He growled.

" Excuse me, do I know you?" She brushed a leaf off of her shoulder.

" Theodore Nott," He raised his chin imperiously.

She peered at his aristocratic, if slightly thuggish face, framed by short dark blond hair. He'd grown into his looks, although it seemed that with that age hadn't come tact or manners.

" I'm sorry, my mind was somewhere else," She explained, backing away.

" Wait! You work at the Office of Education, don't you?"

" Yes, why?" She frowned, looking down at the roses in his hands.

" Can you explain to me where Daphne Greengrass's office is?"

Hermione's eyes flicked from the roses, to his well cut grey suit, and hopeful face, " Ah, you're her ex. The one that's trying to win her back."

" That's _going_ to win her back," He corrected, sniffing condescendingly.

" That's not what I heard," Hermione countered, " You know, Greengrass doesn't seem the type to go for roses."

His brow furrowed, " She's not?"

" No. Or ex-boyfriends who don't take no for an answer."

" Hey, not that I care what you think, Granger, but I'm giving her flowers," He snapped, " Not kidnapping her."

" Well, it's none of my business, but Greengrass doesn't seem to be interested," Hermione's voice went steely, " You should probably leave her alone."

" Look, I'm not harassing her. I've sent her a few letters, and this is the first time I've even tried in person," He flung out his hands, "You tell me what to do."

" Leave her alone!" Hermione said stiffly.

" I love her. I don't want to bother her, but I have to at least try!" He shook his head and threw up his hands, almost hitting her with the bouquet, " You're worse than my mother."

Hermione was taken aback. She looked him up and down, accessing his sincerity. She knew from practice that Slytherins were exceedingly hard to read.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, " You're in love with her?"

" I swear it," His voice was low and serious.

" So what did you do to screw it up when you were together then?"

" I don't have to answer to you!"

She raised an eyebrow at him, " That bad, huh?"

He shuffled on his feet, " She's… always so cold. Even when we were together, I didn't know where I stood. But her parents were always trying to push her into getting married, and they clearly approved of me. So I… tested to see if it was me she really liked."

"Oh, Merlin on a Mushroom what did you do?"

" I put out a rumor that I'd been fooling around with someone else. Even someone as cold as Daphne would be forced to talk about their feelings then," He explained, " And then she broke up with me. Not because she believed the rumors. Because I'd embarrassed myself with such a transparent plan."

" Huh, I guess Slytherins would leave someone for not being clever enough," Hermione mused, " But then again you never were much on brains, Nott."

" I was eighteen, and an idiot," He half-yelled, " Now will you please tell me where her office is?"

Hermione tapped a finger on her chin, " Maybe. For a price."

" A price? Who knew you'd be the type to play games," He marvelled.

" I've been keeping some strange company," She hinted with a smile.

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow, " Alright, name it."

" Greengrass's office isn't hard to find, so how about telling me what you know about how Blaise Zabini wriggled his way out of Azkaban," She proposed.

His eyes narrowed, " What do you care?"

" It's a long story," She allowed enigmatically.

He raised an eyebrow, " I only know that he tried to turn and got caught. If you want the full story, you can ask Daph."

" What do you mean?"

" Well her sister was his prison ward," Nott nodded, as if this was common knowledge.

" Astoria?"

" Who else?" He pursed his lips, " Now are you going to tell me where Daph's office is?"


	32. Chapter 32: Draco

Chapter 32

Draco watched Lovegood with wonder. She was diving into a crate of prophecies that was more than a head taller than her, hair flying, sending packing materials every which way. A piece of packing foam was stuck to her black face glitter, making her look more haphazard than usual.

" There has to be a neater way of doing that," He smirked, protecting his clipboard from flying debris.

" Yes, but this way is so much more fun," She threw part of a cardboard box that she'd shredded behind her.

" Got your gloves?" He ducked when the rest of the box came his way.

" Of course!" She waved a hand, covered in the special purple fabric they used to handle prophecies, out of the rubble.

" Alright, don't rip them," He warned.

" Finally!" She exclaimed, lifting one of the smaller boxes that held the prophecies themselves, even as it struggled in her grip.

" Okay, what are the numbers?"

" ER98217-01 to -12," She opened the lid and lifted a silvery globe.

" Okay, -05 is Araminta Jones and Grizelda Speller," He retrieved the correct label from the table and handed it over.

Luna placed it low on the empty shelf, " Did you see Hermione again last night?"

" Yeah, I did," He grinned, " And we're fixed again for tonight."

" Wow, it must be going well," Luna smiled toothily, reaching for the next globe, " ER98217-02?"

" Clayton Toll and Ursula Ink-Toll," He handed her the correct label, " I mean, I'm not sure how well it's going."

" You mean it isn't going well?" She queried.

" No, I mean, I don't know what good or bad would look like," He laughed, " I'm about as good at this as I am at muggle cooking."

" You're not bad at muggle cooking," She said airily.

" I know, I have no faults," He crowed, " And at least from my perspective, things are going well."

" Well how is Hermione?" She prompted, " -03?"

" Hanamaki Fujioka, Guy Pippens and Madeline Pippens," He handed her the label, " I dunno."

" You didn't ask?"

" Well she asked to see me again tonight, even after we argued," He shrugged.

" You argued?" Lovegood's voice had the slightest hint of accusation.

He grinned, " It's not what it sounded like. It ended well."

" She raised an eyebrow, " You mean you worked it out?"

" In a way," He mused.

Her back stiffened, but her voice stayed light, " -04?"

" Magnus Callaghan."

She snatched the label out of his hand, " If you upset her, you have to work it out. Not talking about something will just cause problems."

" I didn't do anything! She was upset over Weasley," He defended.

" -05? Well then what was there to argue about with you?" She hadn't completely let him off the hook, which he could tell by her tight grip on the struggling prophecy.

" Caradoc and Juliette Prosser," He retrieved the label, " It's… complicated."

" It would be less complicated to answer the question," Lovegood smiled.

He huffed, loosening his tie, " Blaise and Weasley got matched, and she was all up in arms because she decided that Blaise wasn't good enough. Jealous, clearly."

" Draco, I can tell when you're not saying something," She prompted.

He held his breath, " -06 is Drue Wimborne, Anlara Blackheart and Patricia Singleton."

She took the label for the next globe, " Draco."

" She was just so obviously not over Weasley, it was pathetic," He sniffed.

" Oh, you got jealous so you argued," Lovegood said simply, " -07?"

" Quinten Rabnott. No, she got jealous," He defended himself.

" Of course she did, their breakup was so hard on both of them," Lovegood flipped a piece of blonde hair out of her grey lipstick and placed the globe on it's stand.

" It was?" He furrowed his brow.

" Well they were together a long time," Lovegood explained, " -08?"

" Mairead O'Shea and unborn O'Shea," He handed her the slip, " Why did they break up?"

" I don't know," Luna mused.

" Maybe Weasley finally put his foot in it for the last time and she dumped him," Draco growled wickedly.

" Oh, I don't know about that," Lovegood picked up the next globe with some difficulty, " When I knew them, they were pretty happy. And then suddenly, they weren't."

" I think my flair for the dramatic is wearing off on you," Draco grinned, " -09 is Neville Longbottom and Rachel Meadows."

" -10?"

" Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and… Unborn Malfoy…" Draco's words trailed off into nothingness, as his brain had temporarily turned into mush.

Of course, prophecies could be about anything. A dead pet. A bad tuna sandwich. The results of a pickup quidditch game.

But of course, the first thing he imagined was the obvious, the most absolutely terrifyingly obvious.

His knees felt weak. Or maybe he was lightheaded? Maybe counting the number of steps to the elevator would help, then getting in that elevator and going home and having Ipsy bake him a pie. Pumpkin, if he had to guess right now.

" Oh, bother," Luna's hand groped in the box, " It's not there. Set that label aside."

Not there? Prophecies never went missing, and certainly not before they'd had a chance to put it on the shelves. Draco pulled his hand into a fist and then let it go.

" Draco? What's wrong?"

" Let me see the box," He demanded, setting the label and clipboard on the table.

" Its spot is empty," Luna said, handing over the box, " What's wrong?"

" It's mine," He explained, " It's a prophecy about me."

" Well did you take it home and forget? I'm always bringing things home from work, like my gloves and my clipboard and my chair," Lovegood mused, helping him dig through the box.

" No, there's no way, I've never seen a prophecy with my name on it," He laughed, " Pity the sod who had to see my future. Can anyone just come and pick up a prophecy before it's on the shelves?"

" Not unless they work here. Where else would they have seen it?"

" I don't know," He abandoned the first box and went for the rest of the crate.

" Maybe it was misplaced. I'll check the serial numbers on the globes," She dove for the shelf, " Get yourself some gloves. It'll be easy to tell, if it won't struggle for you."

" Should I tell Matilda?" Draco asked, nudging his head towards their boss's office while he yanked on his gloves agitatedly.

" Not until we're sure we can't find it," Lovegood began checking the already placed globes, which shook violently in her hands, " Maybe it broke in the records room?"

" Possible, but I still want to check thoroughly," He flew through the boxes like a madman.

" Draco, calm down," Lovegood said soothingly, dodging box lids " It's just one prophecy. You're going to break something."

" It's not… I just need to find it…" Draco's hands were shaking and he tried to slow down.

" Is it possible someone else could have picked it up? Was there any other names on the label?"

" Well unless my unborn child apparated from the otherworld to pick it up out of the records room, or Granger got over her disdain for the profession of see-ers," He responded slowly, " Which is, if possible, more unlikely than the unborn child, no one else _would_ have picked it up."

Lovegood was silent for a long moment, " You're thinking that it would be your and Hermione's-"

He cut her off, " I can only imagine the worst, so please help me."

Lovegood was silent for a long moment, turning globes over and over, " You know how innocuous these things can be. Just last week I had a premonition about a man in Kent visiting a shoeshine."

" I know that, rationally I know that," He muttered, pressing an extremely violent prophecy back into it's box.

If Granger was pregnant? He would be catatonic. They'd have to wheel him into St. Mungos and his son or daughter would have no father because he'd be around the bend. And then they'd be raised by Granger and Weasley and Potter and turn into a gruddy grand Gryffindor who'd likely believe that their father was not only insane but at the very least a cowardly rat with no morals. At the very worst, his child would believe he was some sort of murderer/weakling hybrid.

And the worst part was that he knew he should want to run as far away from Granger as possible at the least suggestion of anything like this. But he, the perverse little weakling that he was, wanted to summon her right away. Maybe to scream at her, maybe to fuck her, but he had to see her right away.

He tried to be methodical, meticulous, tried to control his breathing. In, out, one, two…

" Hang a tick," He paused, holding a globe aloft, " Did you say you took your chair home?"

" I was carrying it already so I just…" She made a little whooshing noise, " Walked right into the elevator with it."

Draco couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed.

" Damn, Lovegood, you sure know how to lighten the mood," He checked the serial on the bottom of a globe.

" I'm glad I could cheer you up, Draco," She breathed.


End file.
